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This article was first published 13 years ago

What it costs to get an electricity connection around the world

Last updated on: November 8, 2011 13:50 IST

Image: The sun rises behind electricity pylons near Chester, northern England.
Photographs: Reuters

Getting electricity connection in a new building or a new factory is not an easy task. It not only involves endless runs to the utility company but also completing various procedures.

Let us have a look at how much it costs, how many days it takes and how many procedures one has to fulfill to obtain electricity connection around the world, including India.

Note: The rankings are based on cost.

Cost

Cost is recorded as a percentage of the economy's income per capita.

All the fees and costs associated with completing the procedures to connect a warehouse to electricity are recorded, including those related to obtaining clearances from government agencies, applying for the connection, receiving inspections of both the site and the internal wiring, purchasing material, getting the actual connection works and paying a security deposit.

Procedure

A procedure is defined as any interaction of the company's employees or its main electrician or electrical engineer (that is, the one who may have done the internal wiring) with external parties such as the electricity distribution utility, electricity supply utilities, government agencies, electrical contractors and electrical firms.

Time

Time is recorded in calendar days. The measure captures the median duration that the electricity utility and experts indicate is necessary in practice, rather than required by law, to complete a procedure with minimum follow-up and no extra payments.

Click NEXT to see where India stands...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A fisherman arranges a fishing net as his wife paddles their boat in the waters of the Periyar River on the outskirts of Kochi, Kerala.
Photographs: Reuters

India

Cost: 216.2 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 7

Time: 67 days

World ranking: 54

Click NEXT to see rest of the world...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Tropical fish swim in an aquarium in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district.
Photographs: Reuters

Japan

Cost: 0.00 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 3

Time: 117 days

World ranking: 1

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A view of Hong Kong's financial district.
Photographs: Reuters

Hong Kong

Cost: 1.7 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 43 days

World ranking: 2

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Sun reflects off the glass and steel buildings on the Doha skyline.
Photographs: Reuters

Qatar

Cost: 4.1 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 3

Time: 90 days

World ranking: 3

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A gingerbread town, consisting of buildings, boats, bridges and other structures, is seen in Bergen, Norway.
Photographs: Reuters

Norway

Cost: 7.1 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 66 days

World ranking: 4

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A reveller participates in the National Junior Parade in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Photographs: Reuters

Trinidad and Tobago

Cost: 7.9 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 61 days

World ranking: 5

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Sailboats and yachts are seen in front of the Melbourne skyline.
Photographs: Reuters

Australia

Cost: 9.2 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 81 days

World ranking: 6

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: People watch a parade celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim in Holon, near Tel Aviv.
Photographs: Reuters

Israel

Cost: 12.2 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 6

Time: 132 days

World ranking: 7

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: People look at a geyser in Geysir, Iceland.
Photographs: Reuters

Iceland

Cost: 13.6 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 22 days

World ranking: 8

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A Metro runs past Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.
Photographs: Reuters

The United Arab Emirates

Cost: 14.6 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 55 days

World ranking: 9

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A view of high rise buildings in Panama City.
Photographs: Reuters

Panama

Cost: 15.4 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 35 days

World ranking: 10

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A Uruguayan gaucho rides a wild horse in Montevideo.
Photographs: Reuters

Uruguay

Cost: 15.9 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 48 days

World ranking: 11

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Brooklyn Bridge, right, and Manhattan Bridge, left, span the East River in Manhattan.
Photographs: Reuters

The United States

Cost: 16.8 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 68 days

World ranking: 12

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A view of the Kingdom Tower in Riyadh.
Photographs: Reuters

Saudi Arabia

Cost: 18.1 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 71 days

World ranking: 13

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Tango dancers perform in a street in Buenos Aires.
Photographs: Reuters

Argentina

Cost: 20.4 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 6

Time: 67 days

World ranking: 14

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A dogsled team carries tourists in northern Sweden.
Photographs: Reuters

Sweden

Cost: 20.7 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 3

Time: 52 days

World ranking: 15

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A hotel made to look like 70 Zaanse houses stacked together in the centre of Zaandam, north of Amsterdam.
Photographs: Reuters

The Netherlands

Cost: 30.7 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 143 days

World ranking: 16

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: An aerial view of Marina Bay and Singapore's central business district.
Photographs: Reuters

Singapore

Cost: 31.1 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 36 days

World ranking: 17

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A child slides in front of the Santa Claus Office in Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, Finland.
Photographs: Reuters

Finland

Cost: 31.7 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 53 days

World ranking: 18

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A general view shows part of central Seoul.
Photographs: Reuters

South Korea

Cost: 38.6 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 49 days

World ranking: 19

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: France's tallest skyscraper is seen in the business district of La Defence near Paris.
Photographs: Reuters

France

Cost: 40.2 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 123 days

World ranking: 20

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A water taxi in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Photographs: Reuters

Brunei Darussalam

Cost: 42.9 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 56 days

World ranking: 21

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A night view of Kuwait City.
Photographs: Reuters

Kuwait

Cost: 48.2 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 7

Time: 42 days

World ranking: 22

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Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Cars travel past the 'Faces of Berlin' light installation during the Festival of Lights in Berlin.
Photographs: Reuters

Germany

Cost: 49.9 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 3

Time: 17 days

World ranking: 23

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A curator walks past displays of Barbie dolls at the Doll Industry Museum in Taishan, Taipei County.
Photographs: Reuters

Taiwan

Cost: 52.4 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 4

Time: 23 days

World ranking: 24

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A man walks past a wall decorated with with comics characters on a street in Lisbon.
Photographs: Reuters

Portugal

Cost: 54.6 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 5

Time: 64 days

World ranking: 25

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: Youngsters enjoy a ride on a circular moving swing in an Athens amusement park at sunset.
Photographs: Reuters

Greece

Cost: 59.2 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 6

Time: 77 days

World ranking: 26

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A youth arranges the jewellery in a gold shop in Mattrah Souq, the oldest market in Oman.
Photographs: Reuters

Oman

Cost: 62.5 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 6

Time: 62 days

World ranking: 27

...

Here's what it costs to get electricity around the world

Image: A hot air balloon flies above the city of Geneva.
Photographs: Reuters

Switzerland

Cost: 62.7 per cent of income per capita

Procedures: 3

Time: 39 days

World ranking: 28