Rabat – Morocco’s National Electricity Office (ONEE) has announced that it will revise all electricity bills issued between March and May. The office issued the bills based on estimates.
The decision to revise the bills comes after ONEE employees resumed the reading of electricity meters at Moroccan buildings on June 1.
The electricity office suspended the reading of meters in mid-March to protect its employees and curb the spread of COVID-19. Since then, the office issued electricity bills based solely on estimates.
The estimated consumption is calculated on the basis of the average consumption recorded before the COVID-19 lockdown.
Electricity bills for the month of June are expected to include the differences between ONEE’s estimations and the real measurements to either compensate citizens who paid for more electricity than they consumed, or to receive payments from those who consumed more electricity than the estimated amount.
In case of complaints, the ONEE invites customers to contact its customer relations center, visit their closest agency, or use the customer platform on their official website.
The ONEE pledges to carry out, without delay, an assessment of the complaints, with the possibility of extending the payment deadlines, said a press release.
The office has mobilized all of its human and technical resources and strengthened its communication services through their customer relations center and the internet, the press release concluded.
The customer relations center can be reached via the telephone number “080 200 77 77” or the email “[email protected].” Meanwhile, the website “www.one.org.ma” offers several services for customers, including online payment, bill simulation, and a history of electricity consumption.
The announcement of the electricity bills’ review came after a number of citizens complained of exorbitant prices on their bills.
A campaign of heavy criticism on social media targeted Redal, the company that manages electricity in Rabat and its neighboring region, in particular. Hundreds of customers claimed that their electricity bills during the lockdown were up to seven times higher than their usual bills.
According to customer testimonies, electricity bills have reached up to MAD 1,500 ($150) for customers who usually pay around MAD 200 ($20) each month. Customers were also unable to appeal the bills as Redal’s agencies were closed.
In response to the complaints, Redal issued a statement explaining that the reason electricity bills have gotten more expensive is the increase in electricity consumption during the lockdown.
While the French company’s statement did not quell the anger of customers, the ONEE’s promise of revising the bills and assessing the complaints could be an acknowledgement of the bills’ inaccuracy.
