18 Oct 2017

Power hike complaints dismissed in American Samoa

6:24 pm on 18 October 2017

American Samoa's power provider has dismissed complaints that it has raised electricity rates without letting the public know.

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Photo: 123rf

Lawmakers have received complaints from their constituents about a sudden increase in prices prompting committee hearings.

The Executive Director of the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) Utu Abe Malae said customers were confused by several things.

He said customers had been using more electricity since the rates fell to 25 cents per kilowatt in June, people were using more air conditioning in the warmer than normal weather and bills were mounting up as people fail to pay on time.

Utu said the authority had also changed its billing procedures.

The governor, Lolo Matalasi Moliga, had also taken up the issue with the power authority.

Utu told lawmakers it could not hike rates without going through the required public hearing.