Steg’s Ramadan Gift
It’s not every day that customers of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) receive such a present. So when, behind the counter, the very affable agent who hands out bills to clients—who have just taken a picture of their meter reading on their phone—told me that my invoice amounted to zero dinars, zero millimes, I briefly thought it was a Ramadan gift, especially since it was the first day of the holy month.
How It All Started
A few weeks earlier I received my electricity consumption bill, which was around one hundred dinars. The amount seemed a bit high compared to my previous averages, so I delayed paying it.
- First warning – STEG sent me an SMS.
- No reaction – I ignored it.
- Second notice – Another reminder arrived.
Finally, I thought I might have overreacted and decided to bring my account up to date. I snapped a photo of the meter and, that same day, went to the STEG office in my neighbourhood.
“Estimated” Bills Are Often Guesswork
The so‑called estimated invoices are prepared à la pifomètre (i.e., by guesswork), and not everyone can afford to make “advances” on amounts that may look modest but weigh heavily on low‑income households.
When the agent checked my reading (note the correct term is relevé, not the commonly mis‑used “relève” that most employees and, by extension, customers use) and verified my identity on his computer, he announced the good news. I could hardly believe my ears.
He confirmed that the amount was zero because of previous over‑payments, and even told me I had a credit balance left! The very idea of being a creditor of a company whose debts to some billionaire clients run into millions of dinars filled me with joy and pride—so much so that I forgot to ask the clerk exactly how much my credit was.
A “normal” customer would thank Providence for such an unexpected gift and move on. But as a journalist, I can’t stop at happy endings; I have to dig deeper, looking for “the illness, its sequelae, and why the judge died” (a local proverb meaning we shouldn’t stop at appearances). In other words: el ‘ella w bent el ‘ella w bèch el-cadhi mèt.
My Takeaway
When it comes to billing, STEG suffers from serious systemic dysfunctions that disadvantage its customers. The “estimated” invoices are essentially guesswork, and while the amounts may seem small, they can be a significant burden for modest families.
STEG has been promising “smart meters” for years now. Where do we stand today?
Further Reading
Read also: Chroniques de la Byrsa
Keywords: STEG, Tunisia, electricity bill, Ramadan gift, estimated billing, smart meters, consumer rights, over‑payment credit.
