Macao, April 21, 2009

The 12-month second-phase Electricity Subsidy Scheme will be effective from April 2009 to March 2010. The maximum monthly subsidy is set at MOP150. The scheme will benefit all CEM residential customers.

The first phase of the Electricity Subsidy Scheme, launched in April 2008, has been expired in March this year. In order to continue easing residents’ financial burden, Macao SAR Government is poised to kick off the second-phase subsidy scheme starting from April 2009 to offer a monthly electricity subsidy up to MOP150 to all residential customers. The accumulated subsidy balances from the first phase of the scheme will be transferred to the second phase of the scheme for continual use. All accumulated subsidy balances will be deducted up to MOP150 per month within two years till 2012, starting in March 2010 after the expiration of the second phase of the scheme. The unused accumulated electricity subsidies will carry over to the next month. After this period, all accumulated unused government subsidy balance will be discarded.

In the CEM electricity bill, items of Monthly Government Subsidy, Unused Government Subsidy Transfer, and Accumulated Unused Government Subsidy will be listed, which will show the monthly government subsidy of MOP150, the monthly unused amount of subsidies that can be accumulated, and the total accumulated amount of unused subsidy.

Based on different levels of power consumption of the residential units, they will be handled in two manners. First, residential units with over MOP150 of power consumption will first have the MOP150 of Monthly Government Subsidy deducted from the bill, and then pay the remaining charge. Second, residential units with under MOP150 of power consumption will get MOP150 of subsidiary to offset the power they used. The surplus can be carried forward. It shows in the Unused Government Subsidy Transfer and the Accumulated Unused Government Subsidy.

The government subsidy is only used to offset the spending of power consumption, and excludes expenses in fines and ammeter installation fees for customers. All the current preferential tariff programs, including the senior citizens program, Tariff A2 and A4 will continue to take effect, and the beneficiaries of these programs are also entitled to the government subsidy.

Electricity bill of this month will be delivered starting from April 21. There are 49,000 residential units who pay less than MOP150 for electricity bill per month, accounting for 28 percent of the total number; these units can be free of electricity fees. There are 69,000 residential units who pay between MOP150 and MOP300 for electricity bill per month, covering 39 percent of the total number; these units can be free of at least half amount of the electricity bill.

In order to ensure fair use of the electricity subsidy, the government will follow the previous actual cost payment mode and make a monthly financial settlement with CEM.

For inquiries, customers are welcome to call CEM Info Line at 2833 9911.