Guide to Guaranteed Standards

1- Introduction

  • The guaranteed standards represent the limits of the level of electrical services that the service provider is obligated to adhere to.

  • In the context of the services provided to consumers/service applicants.

  • The guaranteed standards in this guide focus on the services related to the duration of registration/cancellation for the actual consumer, the duration of providing the electrical service or modifying it after payment, the duration of restoring the electrical service after payment, the duration of notice before the planned interruption of the electrical service, the duration of processing billing complaints, the duration of restoring the electrical service after it has been interrupted, the number of interruptions of the electrical service, and the disconnection of the electrical service for non-payment at prohibited times and cases.

  • This guide details each of those guaranteed standards individually, including the limits of service levels that the service provider must not exceed, and the amount of financial compensation due to the consumer in the event that the service provider fails to comply with them.

2- Objective

  • The purpose of this evidence is to motivate the service provider to achieve an advanced level of services, and to compensate consumers/service applicants in the event that the service provider fails to meet the specified service level thresholds in this evidence.

 

3- Official documents related to this evidence

  • - The Electricity System issued by Royal Decree No. (M/44) dated 16/5/1442 AH.

  • - The Implementing Regulation of the Electricity System concerning the tasks of the Water and Electricity Regulatory Authority issued by the Authority's Board of Directors Resolution No. (02/43) dated 13/4/1443 AH.

  • - The Electric Service Provision Guide issued by the Water and Electricity Regulatory Authority No. (46/430) dated 1/7/1430 AH, and its amendments.

4- Scope

  • This evidence applies to all licensed electrical service providers for transfer, distribution, and retail sale.

 

5- Definitions

Previous Amendments
  • The Authority: Water and Electricity Regulatory Authority.

  • Service Provider: Any person holding a valid license issued by the Authority that permits them to engage in any electrical activity.

  • Consumer: Any person supplied with electrical service for their personal consumption.

  • Service Applicant: The natural or legal person who submits a request for the provision of electrical service to the facility or independent unit they own or to make any modifications to the service after the connection.

6- Mechanism for Developing Guaranteed Standards

  • - Data Collection: The service provider is obligated to collect the necessary data through an electronic system for all matters related to the approved guaranteed standards.

  • - Limits and Compensation: The authority determines the required levels and limits for the guaranteed standards and the financial compensations that must be paid in cases of failure to comply with those standards.

  • - Application and Automated Compensation: The service provider is obligated to establish an electronic system to ensure compensation automatically and to monitor those compensations.

  • - Reports: The service provider is obligated to send periodic reports to the authority according to the required forms and timelines, and the authority monitors the service provider's compliance with the guaranteed standards.

7- Guaranteed Standards

  • Guaranteed Standard (1): Registration/Cancellation Duration - for the actual consumer:

  • If the consumer submits a claim for registering the electric service in their name or for its cancellation, and fulfills all the obligations required of them, this service must be executed within three (3) working days from the date of submitting the claim.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of one hundred (100) Riyals, and if the service provider continues to fail to comply with this standard, they must provide additional financial compensation to the consumer of twenty (20) Riyals for each additional working day or part thereof.

  • Guaranteed Standard (2): Duration for Connecting or Modifying Electric Service after Payment:

  • If the service applicant submits a claim for connecting the electric service or modifying it, such as adding, strengthening, parceling, or aggregating, or submits a claim for temporary connection for construction purposes, and fulfills all requirements according to the electric service provision guide, the claim must be executed within twenty (20) working days for low voltage connection requests, and sixty (60) working days for medium voltage connection requests or for low voltage connection requests that require work on the medium voltage network.

  • The duration is calculated from the date the service applicant pays the connection fee or the actual costs.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the service applicant with a financial amount of four hundred (400) Riyals, and if the service provider continues to fail to comply with this standard, they must provide additional financial compensation to the service applicant of twenty (20) Riyals for each additional working day or part thereof.

  • Guaranteed Standard (3): Duration for Restoring Electric Service after Payment:

  • If the consumer, whose electric service was disconnected due to non-payment, pays the required amount, the service provider must restore the electric service within two hours from the time the service provider is notified of the payment from their approved payment systems.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of one hundred (100) Riyals, and if the service provider continues to fail to comply with this standard, they must provide additional financial compensation to the consumer of one hundred (100) Riyals for each additional hour or part thereof.

  • Guaranteed Standard (4): Notice of Planned Electric Service Interruption:

  • If a planned interruption of the electric service is required, the service provider must send a prior notice to the consumer at least two days before the interruption, and the notice must be according to the consumer notification methods specified in the electric service provision guide.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of one hundred (100) Riyals.

  • Guaranteed Standard (5): Duration for Processing Billing Complaints:

  • Upon receiving a complaint related to billing, the service provider must process it and provide a detailed response to the consumer regarding the outcome of their complaint processing within ten (10) working days.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of one hundred (100) Riyals, and if the service provider continues to fail to comply with this standard, they must provide additional financial compensation to the consumer of fifty (50) Riyals for each additional working day or part thereof.

  • Guaranteed Standard (6): Duration for Restoring Electric Service after Interruption:

  • If the electric service is interrupted for the consumer, the service provider must restore the electric service as quickly as possible, and no later than six (6) hours from the time of the electric service interruption.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of two hundred (200) Riyals, and if the service provider continues to fail to comply with this standard, they must provide additional financial compensation to the consumer of fifty (50) Riyals for each additional hour or part thereof.

  • Guaranteed Standard (7): Number of Electric Service Interruptions:

  • The service provider must ensure that the electric service is not interrupted for any consumer, and if the electric service is interrupted for the consumer more than twice, with each interruption lasting two hours or more during the calendar year, they must address the situation and ensure it does not recur while compensating the affected consumer for these interruptions.

  • If the service provider fails to comply with this standard, they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of four hundred (400) Riyals, and if the service provider continues to fail to comply with this standard, they must provide additional financial compensation to the consumer of fifty (50) Riyals for each additional interruption lasting two hours or more.

  • The consumer is also entitled to compensation for the sixth and seventh standards if they are affected by both.

  • Guaranteed Standard (8): Disconnection of Electric Service for Non-Payment during Prohibited Times and Cases:

  • If the service provider does not comply with the approved controls and procedures for disconnecting service for non-payment, or if the disconnection occurs during prohibited times and cases, or if the disconnection occurs before the specified disconnection date in the bill, or if the disconnection is mistakenly made for a meter not subject to disconnection, the service provider must address the situation and restore the electric service as quickly as possible, and they must compensate the consumer with a financial amount of five hundred (500) Riyals.

8- Exceptions

  • If the service provider fails to comply with any of the standards specified in this evidence, and this failure is due to reasons beyond their administrative control, the service provider must submit a written request to the authority with all details and justifications within ten (10) working days from the date of the failure. The authority will then decide on the matter, and if it is confirmed that the juvenile is classified as an event that is beyond administrative control, the service provider may be exempted from any obligations arising from the guaranteed standards.

 

9- Application of Guaranteed Standards

  • The service provider must proactively provide compensation to service applicants/consumers automatically in the event of failure to meet any of the guaranteed standards, without the need to file a complaint or claim in this regard, and within a period not exceeding one month from the date of the failure.

  • The consumer's compensation shall be through a deduction from the monthly consumption bill or a bank transfer to their account.