A budget of $6.1 million has been allocated under Head 50 for grid extension and house wiring works.

The extension of Energy Fiji Limited grid networks will benefit rural areas that do not have access to electricity.

A total of 48 schemes:

• Central Division- 13,
• Western Division- 29, and
• Northern Division- 6 will be implemented.

More than 5000 Fijians will benefit from 33 programmes.

The EFL Subsidy for residential customers ($13.2 million) will assist domestic customers with a combined annual income less than or equal to $30,000 for the first 100kwh of electricity consumed.

Around 58,192 customers benefit from the subsidy programme on a monthly basis.

From 1 August 2021 to 31 January 2022, Government paid 100 percent of the electricity bill for residential customers on the subsidy programme.

However, from 1 February 2022, subsidised customers will now pay 50 percent of the bill.

EFL Subsidy for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) $2m:

From 1 August 2021 to 31 January 2022, Government subsidised MSME electricity costs by paying $6.98 cents per month for MSMEs with annual turnover of $1.25 million, covering the first 1,000 units of electricity consumed. To cushion the impacts of high energy prices, the subsidy has been extended for an additional six months until 31 July 2022.

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