RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's King Salman replaced the minister for
water and electricity Abdullah al-Husayen on Saturday with Agriculture
Minister Abdulrahman al-Fadhli, who will do the job on an acting basis,
state media reported, citing a royal decree.
This week Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is
responsible for sweeping economic reforms in the world's top oil
exporter, was quoted as saying increases in water tariffs had not been
implemented in line with the plans.
Saudi Arabia is seeking to reduce lavish subsidies on its
power and water as it faces reduced income from oil exports thanks to
lower crude prices since 2014, but raising tariffs is regarded as
politically sensitive.
The kingdom also introduced its first rises in petrol prices
and electricity tariffs in many years when it announced the national
budget in December.
Power demand growth in the kingdom is estimated at around 10
percent a year and some electricity is produced by burning crude oil
which would otherwise be available to sell on the global market. Riyadh
is planning to introduce nuclear and renewable energy plants, but the
proposals are still at an early stage.
Corrects name of Saudi king
(Reporting By Angus McDowall, editing by David Evans)
- Reuters
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