RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, working on a universal cost-clause policy for all electricity suppliers, to offer consumers greater electricity-bill transparency and price-comparing ability, has extended, until the end of June, a deadline it set for suppliers to deliver related market data details concerning all of 2020 and 2021, until the present.

Independent suppliers, who recently triggered wholesale price-related clauses in electricity bills to protect themselves against elevated wholesale prices, were questioned by the authority and then requested, as early as a month ago, to produce related data but have failed to deliver, instead calling for more time.

Power utility PPC was the first supplier to be summoned for questioning over its decision to trigger a CO2 cost-related clause incorporated into its electricity bills.

RAE had initially planned to stage a public consultation procedure for a universal clause policy within July, after examining the data provided by suppliers, but this plan will now be delayed.

Given the fact that overall business activity slows down severely during the August holiday period, RAE’s proposal is now not expected to be forwarded for consultation any sooner than September.

Taking into account supplier objections expected to surface during the procedure, the new cost-clause policy cannot be expected to be implemented before October.

Consumer complaints over sharp electricity cost increases and lack of transparency in electricity billing have risen considerably in recent times.