Article 6 of the Saudi Electricity Law

This article contains two provisions that affect the licensee's relationship with the consumer and with the Authority:

First: protecting the consumer from a sudden cut-off. A licensee may not stop electricity service to a consumer unless two things are satisfied:

• The consumer has been notified.
• The cut-off is in accordance with the controls set by the regulations.

Under Article 1, a consumer is any person supplied with electricity service for his own consumption, so this covers individuals in their homes and others who consume electricity for their own use. The article does not specify the length of the notice or the cases in which a cut-off is allowed. The regulations set these out in detail, and they should not be assumed from this text.

Second: a general obligation on the licensee. The licensee must comply with the following:

• The law and the regulations.
• The conditions of the license granted to it.
• The instructions and decisions issued by the Authority.

Under the definitions, a licensee is a holder of a valid license or exemption, so the obligation covers exemption holders as well.

This article works together with Article 5, which requires the licensee to compensate those harmed if it falls short in providing the service to them, according to the criteria contained in the regulations. A consumer whose service has been cut off without notice, or in breach of the controls, may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative or civil cases to learn the options available.