Sharjah residents hit the malls to reduce summer power bills

With temperatures shooting up to more than 50 degree Celsius, scores of Sharjah residents beat the heat by swarming to air-conditioned shopping malls.
The aim is to avoid consumption of power, and thus pay less electricity bills.
According to the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa) the rise in power bills is due to the over-consumption of AC during summer.
An Arabic newspaper quoted Dr. Engineer Rashid Al Leem, Chairman of Sewa, as saying that the total amount of bills do not go up but rather the consumption goes up due to keeping the electrical equipments on, particularly the AC.
Sherif Maher, an Egyptian resident who owns a three-bedroom apartment said his electricity bill sometimes reaches Dh1,700, especially during summer when the air conditioner is constantly on.
"Although I never heard of people going to malls to use the AC, I would understand why," he said. "You can cool off in a mall for free, but with rent hikes, families are finding it hard to afford rent, let alone electricity bills." Naamah Tawil, a Syrian resident in Al Taawun area, said the power bill she usually gets amounts to Dh800, but in summer, it goes up to Dh1,500.
"We experience at least Dh500 difference during the summer months, but going to a shopping mall is out of the question since we lead busy lives," said Tawil.
It is a different story for Ameel Abdul Azeez, a Pakistani resident in Al Taawun, who said due to his parent's constant travelling schedule, their power bill does not exceed Dh600 in the two-bedroom apartment.
He also added that the AC is paid by the owner, which helps with their utility expenses.
Iraqi resident Rawan Abdullah echoed similar sentiments as she said the AC bill is paid by the owner.
"We do not witness that much of a hike during summer since the AC bill is covered. We only pay for the electricity, water and gas consumption."
She added: "If affording bills makes a difference to what someone earns, then going to a mall definitely seems like a good option."
A Sewa official said perhaps many resort to such smart measures like staying inside shopping malls for long hours, in order to lower their power consumption and resulting bills.
The official who spoke on condition of anonymity said bill amounts increasingly multiply at a level that is close to the monthly rent, which prompts families to take such approaches.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah