[or 'Cooled Energy', as the management company at my apartment insist on calling it....]

I get charged separately for electricity, water/sewage, and AC. The bill for AC has just shot up dramatically (quote) "due to fuel surcharge increase as advised by Supreme Council". The unit charge has been raised from AED 0.15892 to 0.22092 per kwh (a 39 pct rise).

Anyone else had this? I know some people get charged just one lump sum for everything, but surely that will go up as well?

I can just about afford it - it was just a bit of a surprise, that's all......

DEWA added a 20% fuel surcharge from 1st March 2011 to all electric consumption

By taking the cost of the A/C to Dhs 0.22/KWh they are bringing it in line with the cost of Electricity (Dhs 0.23/KWh)

Anyone else had this? I know some people get charged just one lump sum for everything, but surely that will go up as well?

I can just about afford it - it was just a bit of a surprise, that's all...... [/QUOTE]

See Emirates 24/7 reporting Nakheel cannot afford to pay service providers if owners don't pay up their svc charges. So if the buildings get cut off there will be smaller bills!!! What a mess?

That's what you get for going with a district cooling scheme apartment. Most Nakheel projects along with all of Business Bay, Executive Towers, JLT and JBR are district cooling schemes.

My flat wasn't in district cooling (thank god for Emaar) and I was invariably told the AC was covered in the landlord's maintenance fees or that it was based on the electricity consumption and factored into the DEWA bill.

As it is, last summer my total DEWA bill didn't exceed 150 AED for an 800 sqft flat (note no separate DC bill with no minimum monthly charges regardless of usage).

I specifically avoided any DC buildings so as not to have to pay an additional layer of fees and charges on top of DEWA.

But overall, the numbers seem virtually the same - until this increase, which will surely be passed on to you in some shape or form soon.....?

No. You pay more with district cooling.

DC apartments have a minimum monthly charge regardless of the AC used, so even in the winter months when the AC is off, you're still paying something every month to the district cooling company.

My friends in JBR and the Palm always got pissed off about this.

I once toured a flat in the Executive Towers and was told by the agent that the monthly DC charge was 500 AED before any usage charges. That's when I realised the DC charge was just another 6,000 AED on top of the year's rent. I laughed and left.

Something isn't quite right here........... my AC bill was much lower in Jan and Feb, even allowing for the current increase. I'm assuming it's genuine, but bloody expensive..........

I did mention to others in a Previous Post elsewhere, of the 20% increase in Electricity Charges. However, some told me that I was talking out of my arse! - I now have a Thumb on my Nose, and blowing a 'Big Raspberry!'

Petrol will be next! Ahhhh, I can see that 'Tumbleweed' rolling down Sheik Zayed Road! - Just as was predicted!