EWA Warns of Financial Strain as MPs Push to Double Electricity Subsidies

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) has cautioned that doubling the subsidized electricity quotas for larger households would increase pressure on government finances, with subsidies already costing BHD 217 million annually.

Parliament will debate the proposal on Tuesday. EWA argues that while it buys power from private firms and sells it at reduced rates, the subsidies already cover most costs for Bahraini homeowners. Rising gas prices have further strained public funds, as household electricity rates have remained unchanged.

The proposal, submitted by MPs Mohammed Mohammed Al Rifai, Hisham Abdulaziz Al Awadhi, Jaleela Alawi, Ahmed Qarata, and Abdulnabi Salman, seeks extra subsidized quotas for first-degree relatives of the account holder, covering up to three families per household. If passed, the cheapest rate would double from 3,000 to 6,000 units for two families and 9,000 for three, with higher brackets increasing accordingly.

EWA has also raised concerns over implementation, citing frequent changes in family arrangements that could make tracking eligibility difficult. However, the Public Utilities and Environment Committee has backed the proposal and recommends Parliament’s approval.