Government Electricity Subsidy

Who will be eligible for the subsidy?
Will accounts with unused subsidy provided since September 2008 be granted the subsidy announced in February 2013?
Will tenants of service apartments be eligible for the subsidy?
If the electricity account relates to a leased unit, who (the tenant or the landlord) will receive the subsidy?
Will tenants living in bedspace apartments and cubicles be eligible for the subsidy?
Will the subsidy cover vacant flats with registered meters?
When will the subsidy announced in 2013 be granted?
If a customer closes his account before 30 June 2018 due to removal or other reasons, can the unused portion of the credited subsidy under the account be transferred to another account or converted to cash?
If there is a change in the registered account holder in the middle of the month during the period of crediting the subsidy, will the subsidy be credited to the new and old accounts on a pro-rata basis?
If a customer closes an account on the first day of a month and another opens a new one on the same day for the same meter, which account will be given the subsidy?
During the credit period, will new registered accounts be entitled to the credit for the month immediately?
Will the subsidy be granted in the form of cash?
Can the subsidy be used for paying deposits or reconnection fee?
For how long will the subsidy be valid?
If a customer holds more than one?residential account, will each of the?residential account be eligible for the subsidy?
Will non-residential customers be eligible for the subsidy?
If the tariff type of a registered customer changed from?residential to non-residential, can the unused subsidy be used further or converted to cash?
As the Government has announced to inject $1800 subsidy into the account of each registered?residential customer, why did CLP not use the $1800 subsidy to deduct my outstanding electricity charges, rather, you sent me the disconnection notice?
As the Government has announced to inject $1800 subsidy into the account of each registered?residential customer, before customers use up all the subsidy, shall CLP pay the relevant interest to customers?

1. Who will be eligible for the subsidy?

In general, registered residential electricity accounts are eligible for the subsidy.

2. Will accounts with unused subsidy provided since September 2008 be granted the subsidy announced in February 2013?

All residential electricity accounts, including accounts with unused subsidy will be granted the subsidy.

3. Will tenants of service apartments be eligible for the subsidy?

The mode of collecting electricity charges varies in different service apartments. While electricity charges are covered by the rental for some service apartments, some tenants are required to pay the charges to the landlords (instead of CLP). As to whether the tenant of a service apartment is eligible for the subsidy, it will be subject to factors such as having a "separate electricity meter of CLP" installed in that apartment, holding a residential electricity account for the power supply, as well as the agreement between the tenant and the landlord.

4. If the electricity account relates to a leased unit, who (the tenant or the landlord) will receive the subsidy?

The subsidy will be credited directly to the account of each registered residential customer. As to whether a tenant can receive and enjoy the subsidy, it will be subject to factors such as whether the premise has a registered meter of CLP, the tenant being a registered customer of CLP as well as the agreement between the tenant and the landlord, with which CLP is not in a right position to intervene.

5. Will tenants living in bedspace apartments and cubicles be eligible for the subsidy?

The subsidy will reduce the amount of electricity charges demanded in the electricity bills. As to who will be enjoying the subsidy, this depends on the agreement between the tenant and the landlord.

6. Will the subsidy cover vacant flats with registered meters?

In general, properties identified as new residential flats still owned by developers will not be granted the subsidy. However, the subsidy will cover other vacant flats due to the technical difficulty in identifying them.

7. When will the subsidy announced in 2013 be granted?

The subsidy will be granted from July 2013 to June 2014. CLP will credit the subsidy of $150 to each registered residential electricity account on the first day of each month within the period.

8. If a customer closes his account before 30 June 2018 due to removal or other reasons, can the unused portion of the credited subsidy under the account be transferred to another account or converted to cash?

On account close, the unused portion of the credited subsidy cannot be used further nor converted to cash. It will be voided.

9. If there is a change in the registered account holder in the middle of the month during the period of crediting the subsidy, will the subsidy be credited to the new and old accounts on a pro-rata basis?

No, the registered account holder as at the first of the month will be entitled to the full $150 credit.

10. If a customer closes an account on the first day of a month and another opens a new one on the same day for the same meter, which account will be given the subsidy?

The new account will be given the subsidy.

11. During the credit period, will new registered accounts be entitled to the credit for the month immediately?

If the new account exists on the first day of the month, it will be credited the subsidy amount for the same month. If the account comes into existence on the second day or following days of the month, the account will be credited the subsidy from the next month. Accounts opened after the last credit day (i.e. 1 June 2014) will not be entitled to any credit.

12. Will the subsidy be granted in the form of cash?

No.

13. Can the subsidy be used for paying deposits or reconnection fee?

No.

14. For how long will the subsidy be valid?

All the subsidy including those provided from 2008 onwards will be valid until 30 June 2018 or the close of the account (whichever is the earlier).

15. If a customer holds more than one residential account, will each of the residential account be eligible for the subsidy?

Yes.

16. Will non-residential customers be eligible for the subsidy?

No, only residential customers are eligible for government electricity subsidy.

17. If the tariff type of a registered customer changed from residential to non-residential, can the unused subsidy be used further or converted to cash?

No, the unused subsidy will be voided.

18. As the Government has announced to inject $1800 subsidy into the account of each registered residential customer, why did CLP not use the $1800 subsidy to deduct my outstanding electricity charges, rather, you sent me the disconnection notice?

The $1800 subsidy is not paid in one go by the Government. A monthly subsidy of $150 will be 'credited' to each registered residential tariff electricity account on the first day of each month from July 2013 to June 2014. The Government will only pay CLP the exact used amount of the 'credited' subsidy on due day. As such, the subsidy yet to be credited cannot deduct the current outstanding electricity charges of customers.

19. As the Government has announced to inject $1800 subsidy into the account of each registered residential customer, before customers use up all the subsidy, shall CLP pay the relevant interest to customers?

The $1800 subsidy is not paid in one go by the Government. A monthly subsidy of $150 will be 'credited' to each registered residential tariff electricity account on the first day of each month from July 2013 to June 2014. The Government will only pay CLP the exact used amount of the 'credited subsidy on due day. As such, CLP will have no interest revenue incurred from the unused subsidy, and therefore we will not pay any interest to customers accordingly.