The city of Ras al-Ain in the northwest of al-Hasakah is witnessing a rise in electricity prices, prompting residents to modify their consumption patterns to avoid high bills.
This increase started at the beginning of this July, following a 38% increase in electricity prices in Turkey, which was reflected in prices in Ras al-Ain, where the electricity supply is sourced from Turkey. This led to a decrease in the value of the load from 35 kilowatts to 27 kilowatts per 100 Turkish liras (465,000 Syrian pounds).
About 115,000 people reside in Ras al-Ain, with daily wages ranging between 30,000 and 40,000 Syrian pounds (approximately two and a half dollars).
Economizing on consumption
Many residents had to ration their use of electricity and reduce the working hours of electrical appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners. Some have resorted to using solar power to reduce the value of their bills.
Muammar al-Adnan from the town of Tal Half in Ras al-Ain said he installed a used solar power system at a price of $700 to generate electricity in his home.
He explained that the current electricity load price is not enough to power the house for more than three days with rationed usage.
He added to Enab Baladi that the high costs of electricity charging prompted him to borrow money from his cousin in Turkey to install a solar power system, as it works efficiently in the summer and prevents him from paying high monthly bills.
Salwa al-Mutri, a displaced person from the countryside of Damascus, reduced the hours of using the refrigerator and air conditioner. She explained that her daily income from sewing work does not exceed 60,000 Syrian pounds, which is not sufficient for recharging the electricity card every four days with 100 Turkish liras if she continues to operate cooling devices.
She demanded the electricity company not to compare the region’s situation with Turkey, as residents do not receive a quarter of the income available to Turkish citizens.
Electricity prices rise in Ras al-Ain by 38% – July 23, 2024 (Enab Baladi)
Affected by Turkish prices
A source in the electricity company “Ak Energy” operating in Ras al-Ain stated in a statement to Enab Baladi that the main reason behind the increase in electricity prices is the 38% increase in electricity prices for homes and shops in Turkey.
The source (who requested anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media) mentioned that the company was forced to raise the price of the electricity load and reduce it from 35 kilowatts to 27 kilowatts.
He also mentioned that if the Turkish Energy Regulatory Authority reduces electricity prices in Turkey and the areas where the company operates, the electricity prices for the residents of Ras al-Ain will be automatically reduced.
The Ak Energy company was established in Kilis, Turkey, and is owned by Syrian Ibrahim Khalil and three Turkish individuals. The company began its activities in the countryside of Aleppo on June 1, 2017, and obtained license number “9123455” from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Gaziantep, Turkey.
The company signed its first contracts with the local council in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad in March 2021, which includes the provision of electricity to Ras al-Ain and its countryside, according to a previous conversation with Marei al-Youssef, the former head of the local council in Ras al-Ain.
The company’s contract with the local council stipulated that the city and countryside would be powered within a year, but the company delayed the contracted period, taking more than two years to fully supply electricity to the city of Ras al-Ain.