MUSCAT: The Authority for Public Services Regulation (AER) took note of the complaints on social media that some consumers had received vastly inflated electricity bills.

In a statement issued on Saturday, AER ordered power firms to address consumer complaints immediately. Several people took to social media to complain about receiving inflated power bills.

“Every subscriber has the right to communicate with the service provider company in his/her area, and the company must respond to subscribers’ complaints and clarify the bill details and the method of calculating the bill amount in a manner that guarantees the subscriber’s right,” AER said in the statement.

AER said it has asked power firms not to cut off the service until the complaint is resolved.

The authority also asked companies “to review all invoices submitted by the owners with an objection to their details, in order to ensure that there are no reasons that may have led to an increase in the value of consumption.”