In Ye Township, Mon State, some self-operated electricity providers are charging up to 7,500 kyats per unit without prior notice, causing financial hardship for consumers, according to residents.
Due to fuel availability, electricity companies in northern Ye Township, including SMD and NYEDS, informed users that electricity prices for March would increase to 3,800 kyats per unit and that supply hours would be reduced.
However, some self-operated providers gave no prior notice and charged up to 7,500 kyats per unit for March, while also reducing supply hours at their discretion, causing losses for consumers, a local woman said.
“For March, they said fuel was hard to obtain and prices had increased, so the rate rose to 7,000 kyats per unit. Electricity was available for only about one to one and a half hours per day for half the month. The supply was very limited, and there was no prior notice. Everyone is facing difficulties,” she said.
Additionally, due to a minimum charge of five units, households are required to pay at least 35,000 kyats per month for electricity.
Currently, amid fuel shortages, electricity users in Ye Township—whether supplied by companies or self-operated systems—are paying between 4,000 and 7,500 kyats per unit.
As electricity supply hours continue to decline in areas such as Ahryutaung, more residents who can afford it are turning to solar energy as an alternative.
A local man said, “Recently, many households that can afford it have stopped using grid electricity and installed solar systems. Some homes use both electricity and solar energy. Tailors and other workers are struggling, and for low-income families, electricity is becoming unaffordable. Monthly electricity bills are very high.”
In Ye Township, there are at least four electricity providers, including major companies such as SMD and Myat Thu Ya Tun, supplying electricity to villages in both northern and southern areas.
These companies rely on imported fuel transported by oil tankers from storage facilities at Dawei Port. Due to ongoing fuel supply difficulties, electricity generation is becoming increasingly challenging.
