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SINGAPORE – Singaporean households used, on average, more electricity and gas each month between April and July compared to the same period last year.
Its electricity consumption increased 16 percent while its gas consumption increased 34 percent.
The reason is that people spent more time at home during the breaker period and the early stages of Singapore’s gradual reopening due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry Tan See Leng said on Wednesday. (October 14) in Parliament.
Dr. Tan was responding to Mr. Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang), who asked if electricity and gas consumption had increased as more people worked from home.
Mr. Liang also inquired about the basis for the latest increase in electricity rates and gas prices.
Dr. Tan said that both prices generally move in tandem with world fuel prices and have averaged about 24.58 cents / kWh for electricity and 19.64 cents / kWh for gas since January 2018.
It added that fuel prices rose 46.6 percent in the third quarter of 2020 since falling to their lowest levels in the past 20 years in April 2020, as global economic activity gradually resumed.
As a result, electricity and gas rates increased to 22.93 cents / kWh and 18.39 cents / kWh respectively in the fourth quarter of this year.
Dr. Tan, however, emphasized that electricity and gas rates in the third and fourth quarters of 2020 remain lower than in the first quarter of 2020, and are among the lowest since January 2018.
“For electricity rates in particular, it is worth noting that rates for the fourth quarter of 2020 are still 11.6 percent lower than those for the first quarter of 2020 and 6.7 percent lower than the electricity rate. average between January 2018 and September 2020, “he said.
He added that around 47 percent of all households will not be affected by the new prices, since they have switched to the Open Electricity Market.
Dr. Tan also noted that consumers are interested in switching to fixed price package plans in the open electricity market.
“If possible, most households should look at these plans that are available … because I think that in the next few quarters, there should continue to be all this volatility and fluctuations. We expect more to happen,” he said. .
Mr. Liang also asked whether further development of alternative energy sources has helped reduce the total cost of electricity.
Dr Tan said that Singapore’s geographic limitations mean that alternative energy sources account for a small proportion of its power generation today.
He added that the country aims to fivefold its solar power capacity from around 0.4 gigawatts peak (GWp) today to at least 2 GWp by 2030.
Additionally, he said Singapore households have received more support for their utility bills this year.
For example, all households with at least one Singaporean citizen have received a $ 100 Solidarity Utility Credit on their July or August utility bill from SP Group.
Dr. Tan added that HDB eligible households also received the GST Coupon – U-Save, which was doubled this year through a one-time GST Coupon – U-Save Special Payment.
Additionally, eligible HDB households with five or more members also received a first portion of additional GST – U-Save coupon rebates of between $ 60 and $ 100 per household in October, with a second portion being disbursed in January 2021.
Dr. Tan said that prior to this year, the annual amount of the GST – U-Save Voucher awarded to residents in HDB one and two bedroom apartments was equivalent to approximately three to four months of their utility bill.
In contrast, he said, with the additional support this year, these same households will get support equivalent to at least six to eight months of their utility bills on average.
Families in three- and four-bedroom HDB apartments will receive support equal to at least two to four months of their utility bills, an increase of one to two months from their bills in the past.
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