Electricity customers across Fiji will face higher power bills from May 26 after the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) approved an interim fuel surcharge for Energy Fiji Limited (EFL), the regulator announced on Friday.
FCCC chief executive Senikavika Jiuta said EFL applied on April 13 for an 11 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) increase, citing rising global fuel prices and higher costs to import industrial diesel and heavy fuel oil used in generation. After what the commission described as a “comprehensive and rigorous assessment process”, the FCCC authorised a smaller interim adjustment of 5.91 cents per kWh to take effect next week. The surcharge will apply to domestic, commercial and industrial customers.
Under the interim adjustment, domestic rates will climb from about 34 cents to roughly 39 cents per kWh. The commission said an average household with a monthly bill of about $68 can expect to pay around $11.82 more each month once the surcharge is applied. Commercial rates will rise from about 40 cents to approximately 46 cents per kWh; FCCC provided an example of a business with a monthly bill of about $2,049 facing an increase of roughly $295.
Jiuta stressed the decision balanced consumer protection with the need to keep Fiji’s electricity system reliable. She highlighted the country’s heavy reliance on imported fuel, which leaves consumers exposed to global market volatility and geopolitical tensions that have pushed up fuel procurement costs. “EFL warned that without some level of fuel cost recovery, maintaining a reliable and stable electricity supply nationwide would become increasingly difficult,” Jiuta said, noting the commission took that warning into account.
The FCCC said its approval followed a detailed review of EFL’s financial submissions, fuel procurement data, operational costs, cash flow positions, generation requirements and projected impacts on households and businesses already coping with cost-of-living pressures. The commission emphasised the 5.91 cents figure is interim, signaling further reviews may follow as market conditions evolve.
Energy Fiji Limited, which operates the country’s generation and distribution network, had sought the larger 11-cent increase to cover immediate rising fuel costs. By approving roughly half of that request, the FCCC has reduced the immediate consumer burden while allowing EFL to recover some of its short-term costs, the regulator said.
The surcharge comes at a time when many Fijians are dealing with rising household and business expenses. The FCCC’s interim move will push up electricity bills from late May, and consumers and commercial operators will be watching closely for any further adjustments should global fuel prices continue to fluctuate.