Legislators have called for the fourth electricity consumption tier to be scrapped for Bahrainis in their first homes, arguing that households should not be hit with sharply higher bills for exceeding a set consumption limit.
The proposal, spearheaded by Strategic Thinking Bloc spokesman Khalid Bu Onk, calls for the current fourth tier – covering consumption of 7,000 kilowatt-hours and above – to be removed from the residential electricity tariff applicable to Bahraini citizens in their primary homes.
Instead, consumption would remain within the third subsidised tier, covering 5,001kWh and above, as a final open-ended category with no upper limit and no further increase in tariff.
The fourth electricity threshold for primary Bahraini residential accounts is 32 fils per unit (kWh) for consumption above 7,000 units.
Domestic Electricity Tiers (First Home/Single Account for Citizens)
First Threshold (0–3,000 units): 3 fils per unit
Second Threshold (3,001–5,000 units): 9 fils per unit
Third Threshold (5,001–7,000 units): 16 fils per unit
Fourth Threshold (Above 7,000 units): 32 fils per unit
Mr Bu Onk said the move was aimed at protecting Bahraini families from what he described as sudden and disproportionate increases in their monthly utility bills.
The proposal excludes domestic water tariffs.
He said household electricity consumption could rise for reasons that families cannot easily avoid, particularly in larger homes where several generations or extended family members live under one roof.
“A family should not be financially penalised simply because its electricity consumption exceeds an arbitrary ceiling, particularly when the home is their first and only residence,” Mr Bu Onk said.
He stressed that the proposal was not intended to encourage wasteful consumption, but rather to ensure that citizens were not subjected to a sharp tariff increase because of genuine household needs.
Strategic Thinking Bloc president, Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman and Bahrain Chamber treasurer MP Ahmed Al Salloom said the proposal addressed an issue with a direct impact on household finances.
He said the high fourth-tier tariff could create a significant jump in electricity bills once consumption exceeded the threshold, placing additional pressure on families already grappling with rising living costs.
“The objective is to provide greater stability and predictability for Bahraini households. A family should be able to understand and plan its monthly electricity costs without facing a sudden tariff shock simply because consumption has crossed into another category,” Mr Al Salloom said.
The proposal argues that some families have little practical choice when consumption increases, particularly when larger numbers of people share the same primary residence. It also points to Bahrain’s climate as a key consideration, with air-conditioning required for long periods during the hotter months.
The MPs said cooling was not a luxury in Bahrain, but a basic requirement for comfortable and healthy living, making power consumption during summer fundamentally different from discretionary use.
Committee vice-chairwoman MP Zainab Abdulamir, one of the proposal’s five signatories, said household tariff policy should take account of the realities facing Bahraini families.
“The primary residence is where families live, raise their children and meet their daily needs. Our approach should ensure that citizens are supported rather than placed under additional financial pressure because of circumstances beyond their control,” she added.
MPs Hisham Al Awadhi and Mohammed Al Marafi, who also signed the proposal, said the issue warranted examination through the parliamentary process, particularly from the perspective of household affordability and social stability.
The proposal maintains that families on limited and middle incomes could be particularly affected when they cross into the fourth tier, with the higher tariff potentially pushing their monthly bills beyond what they can comfortably afford.
The five MPs are seeking to have the proposal referred to the relevant parliamentary committee for consideration, stressing that the proposed change would retain a clear consumption threshold while eliminating what they regard as an excessive financial jump at the upper end.
It was referred yesterday by Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam to the public utilities and environment affairs committee for review, in consultation with the Electricity and Water Affairs Ministry and the Electricity and Water Authority.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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