Electricity, buses, garbage bags… New Year’s Public Fee Increases One after another – Gangwon Ilbo

Since the first day of the new year, public utility bills have gone up one after the other. Electricity rates per household rose more than 4,000 won a month, and Gangwon-do and cities and counties announced plans to increase rates for buses, pay-as-you-go bags, and water and sewage. Since most of the price hikes are items that are closely related to real life, the price burden felt by the common people is expected to increase further.

■The highest electricity rate ever =The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) announced that they would increase electricity rates by 13.1 earned per kWh (kilowatt hour) from the first quarter of this year. The rate of increase is 9.5%, the largest ever. Electricity rates include base rates, energy rates (standard fuel rates), climate environment rates, and fuel cost adjustment rates. Of these, electricity rates and climate environment rates rose by 11.4 won and 1.7 won, respectively. As a result, the electricity bill charged to a four-person household increased by more than 4,000 won from this month to 57,000 won from 52,000 won per month.

■Bus ticket within cities from KRW 1,400 to KRW 1,700 =From midnight on the 1st, city bus fares in the state also increased. The price of a regular bus ticket increased from 1,400 won to 1,700 won, and the price of a seater bus ticket increased from 2,000 won to 2,400 won. This is the first increase in four years since October 2018. The rate of increase is 21.43% for regular buses and 20% for seat buses. The province explained that the increase in transport costs due to inflation, such as the higher minimum wage, and a sharp drop in bus users and sales due to Corona 19 were the factors that contributed to the increase. However, in the case of Jeongseon, which operates a fully public bus system, the current fare (generally 1,000 won) will be maintained.

The price of water bills and pay-as-you-go bags have risen =Water and sewerage rates and pay-as-you-go bags have not escaped the rate hike. Gangneung City will increase water and sewerage rates by an average of 10% starting at this month’s notice. The monthly payment for households using 15 tonnes of water per month jumped by 1,610 from 17,540 to 19,150. Jeongseon-gun raised the price of volume rate garbage bags from the 1st. In the case of the best-selling 20-litre bag, the price has risen by 50% from 280 won to 420 won. As such, items closely related to everyday life, such as electricity, gas, public transport, and utility bills, are rising one after the other, and the price situation felt by the people is expected to deteriorate further.