The Energy Ministry is looking into a draft National Audit Office report which found that consumers could have been charged an extra €6.5 million on their electricity and water bills, minister Miriam Dalli has acknowledged.

“We are studying the leaked report and we must ensure that the system we chose will not penalise any sector in society,” Energy Minister Miriam Dalli told Times of Malta. 

Back in May, a draft report by the National Audit Office (NAO) had found variances of between €10.74 and €468.90 in samples of pro-rata calculations of consumer utility bills, when compared to the annual calculation method.

The Auditor General said these “extra charges” could be costing consumers €4.6 million on electricity bills. Water bills, which are calculated using different tariff bands, also varied by €1.9 million between the pro-rata billing used by ARMS and the annual method.

Former prime minister Joseph Muscat had acknowledged in 2018 that “anomalies” existed in the way ARMS was calculating bills. He had promised redress for the anomalies in 2019. 

Opposition leader Bernard Grech has said that the PN would refund some €50 million “stolen” by the government since 2013 through this overbilling, should he be elected into government. 

Dalli said that the PN promise would not solve problems. 

“The solution the Nationalist Party come up with is very simplified and from what we see will penalise different sectors,” she said.

Dalli said that the figures are being studied and that whatever system is chosen must not affect any sector or families doing their utmost to reduce their energy consumption. 

"We are looking into the figures. Any system we decide as a government cannot be simplified or penalise anyone who is trying to consume less energy," Dalli said, adding that the government would be waiting for the NAO's final report before taking any decisions about the issue.