There have been false statements circulating online alleging that the Government has been passive in allowing electricity companies to overcharge Singaporeans for electricity through deceptive schemes.

One such website – known as Voltex – claims that Singaporeans are overpaying for electricity by $27.6 billion dollars a year, and that “lawmakers” and the “Public Utility Commission” are not preventing electricity companies from running a “crooked business” of selling overpriced electricity to consumers.

These claims are false.

Fact #1: There is no “Public Utility Commission” in Singapore. The Singapore electricity market is regulated by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), consisting of the wholesale electricity market and the retail electricity market.

Fact #2: The electricity price chart depicted on Voltex’s website does not correspond with Singapore's electricity prices. The total value of electricity sold in Singapore is $10 billion a year, so it is not possible for Singaporeans to be overpaying $27.6 billion. In fact, there are identical pages on the website catered to different country audiences, e.g. Australia, UK, US, that bear the same chart and the same $27.6 billion figure.

Fact #3: EMA regulates the power generation companies and electricity retailers in Singapore. The quarterly electricity tariff for example, is reviewed by SP Group and approved by EMA. The electricity tariff reflects the cost of producing and delivering electricity to consumers.

Advisory on so-called “power-saving devices”

Many websites that claim to sell “power-saving” devices, with promises of significant savings in electricity bills, have turned out to be scams. The scammers behind these devices are known to change the names of their devices and websites when their claims are challenged.

Consumers are advised to visit the Energy Efficient Singapore website (www.e2singapore.gov.sg) for energy-saving tips, or the Consumer Product Safety Office’s website (www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg) for safety tips on household electrical products.