Questions on power cuts & compensation

1. 01When am I entitled to regulatory compensation for a power cut?

   When the cut runs past the limits in the Electricity Service Level Standards Guide. If an unplanned outage lasts more than three hours, the consumer is owed SAR 50, plus SAR 50 for each additional hour or part of an hour. If a planned outage lasts more than six hours, the consumer is owed SAR 200, plus SAR 50 for each additional hour or part of an hour. The guide's conditions and exceptions apply.

   SourceElectricity Service Level Standards Guide, Standards 5 and 6 (Umm Al-Qura gazette)

2. 02Do I have to file a complaint to receive regulatory compensation for an outage?

   As a rule, no. Compensation is paid automatically, with no complaint needed, within ten working days of the end of the incident, either as a credit on the bill or by bank transfer. If it does not appear, ask for your entitlement to be reviewed, giving the outage times and your report numbers.

   SourceElectricity Service Level Standards Guide, general provisions (Umm Al-Qura gazette)

3. 03Does accepting regulatory compensation bar a claim for other losses?

   Do not assume it settles every loss. Look at the losses you can prove, the legal basis for the provider's liability and any release you signed. Identify what has already been compensated, so the same loss is not compensated twice.

   Read moreCommercial financial claims: which documents make the file stronger?

   Ask about your own case

4. 04How do I work out compensation for a ruined event or damaged property?

   From your proven loss, any recoverable lost profit, and the evidence supporting non-material harm. Gather invoices, reports and other proof. No standard sum is guaranteed for every outage or occasion.

   Read moreCommercial financial claims: which documents make the file stronger?

   Ask about your own case

5. 05Can I claim non-material damages for a power cut during a wedding?

   It can be pursued if liability is established, together with compensable non-material harm and its link to the outage. Embarrassment alone does not guarantee an award. The court weighs the nature of the harm, the circumstances of the person harmed and the evidence.

   Ask about your own case

6. 06Must a private generator be provided as soon as the power fails at a home event?

   There is no general right to an immediate generator for every occasion. It depends on the statutory or contractual obligation and the circumstances of the service. Asking for a generator documents your report and your need, but it does not by itself prove a breach or the amount of compensation.

These answers are brief general information. They are no substitute for a review of the facts and documents of a particular matter.