Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has decided against raising the electricity tariff in the second quarter of 2024 (April–June), ahead of the Eid al-Fitr period, for 13 groups of non-subsidized customers.

"To maintain people's purchasing power, the government decided that the electricity tariff will remain the same, or not increase," the ESDM Ministry's director general of electricity, Jisman Hutajulu, said here on Thursday.

Hutajulu informed that in accordance with Ministerial Regulation No. 28 of 2016, juncto Ministerial Regulation No. 8 of 2023, electricity tariff adjustments for non-subsidized customers are carried out every three months referring to changes in macroeconomic parameters.

These macroeconomic parameters include the rupiah exchange rate, Indonesian Crude Price (ICP), inflation, and the country's coal reference price (HBA).

He said that the macroeconomic parameters for determining the electricity tariff in the second quarter of 2024 were based on the realization in November 2023, December 2023, and January 2024.

During the period, the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar was recorded at Rp15,580.53 per US dollar, ICP US$77.42 per barrel, inflation 0.28 percent, and HBA US$70 per ton, according to the Coal Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) policy.

"Based on these four parameters, the electricity tariff for non-subsidized customer groups should increase when compared to the tariff in the first quarter of 2024," he pointed out.

However, the government has decided not to increase electricity tariffs.

Furthermore, the electricity tariff for 25 groups of subsidized customers will remain the same from April to June, and subsidies will continue to be provided.

The subsidized customers include poor households, small industries, as well as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Furthermore, the ministry has urged state electricity firm PT PLN to continue to ensure operational efficiency and push electricity sales more aggressively while maintaining the quality of services.

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Translator: Putu S, Kenzu
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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