Electricite du Laos is to provide a three percent discount on electricity rates to residential consumers during the lockdown period.
Authorities have accepted a proposal by Electricite du Laos state enterprise (EDL) issued on Monday to offer a three percent electricity rate discount to households in provinces under lockdown during the Covid-19 outbreak.
A notice was issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mines on Wednesday accepting the proposal and authorizing the discounts.
The new electricity rates for households will be calculated from May to July in provinces under lockdown. The discount applies only to residential consumers and does not include value-added tax (VAT).
The company will also extend the deadline for electricity bill payments from the usual two months to three full months.
According to its proposal, EDL will also deduct two percent of its own income and use the funds to assist the government in enforcing Covid-19 prevention and control measures.
Authorities are also in talks about providing water supply discounts and deferring payment of customers’ water bills across the country for the lockdown period, according to a proposal issued by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport yesterday.
Under the proposal, consumers with debts of more than 90 days would no longer subject to water restrictions, and the 10% VAT would no longer be applicable.
If approved, the policy would be implemented from May to July, and would include a five percent discount on water supply bills for households throughout the country.
Every province in Laos is now under lockdown, with Vientiane Capital going into full lockdown on 21 April after more than twenty cases of Covid-19 were announced.
