The National Assembly’s financial and economic affairs committee rejected a government bill to raise electricity and water charges and made a proposal of its own to make the increases much lower for citizens. The committee however did not propose any changes for expatriates, leaving the proposed high tariffs unchanged. Head of the committee MP Faisal Al-Shaye said the committee gave the government until Wednesday to respond to its proposals.

The government’s bill proposes to raise power charges from the current 2 fils per kilowatt for all purposes. For private houses, a term normally referring to Kuwaiti citizens, the government bill proposed a price of 5 fils per kilowatt for the first 3,000 kilowatts, 8 fils for between 3,000 and 6,000 kW, 10 fils for between 6,000 and 9,000 kW, and 15 fils for above 9,000 kW.

For apartments, a term normally referring to expatriates, the government proposed a price of 5 fils for up to 1,000 kW, 10 fils for between 1,000 and 2,000 kW and 15 fils for above 2,000 kW.

Head of the financial and economic affairs committee said the committee proposed that the price should remain 2 fils per kilowatt for consumption of up to 6,000 kW and then 5 fils per kilowatt above that for private houses, or citizens. The committee did not propose any changes for apartments, which means it will remain the same as proposed by the government.