"PLN introduced the tariff in accordance with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister`s Regulation Number 7/2010 on the tariff of electricity provided by PLN," said Benny Marbun, head of PLN`s Customer Service Division on Sunday.
In line with the said ministerial regulation, Marbun added, the government has introduced a flat per kilowatt hour tariff the same way as for the pre-payment tariff.
He also argued that the introduction of the 18 percent tariff hike ceiling since July 2010 was of temporary in nature.
The policy of subjecting the hike on a capping was enacted because the old industry could not adjust itself with the ministerial regulation in the middle of 2010.
However, the introduction of tariff increase ceiling had caused tariff disparities between the new and old industries. "Therefore, since January 1, 2011, the disparities have been eliminated so that the tariff introduced has become healthy," Marbun said.
PLN Risk Management chief Murtaqi Syamsuddin also denied that the newly introduced tariff scheme was a hike in electricity basic tariff (TDL). The placement of 18 percent hike ceiling for the industry user category had caused tariff disparities.
"Industrial earlier users have paid less compared to the industrial new customers which was not subjected to the tariff capping and therefore has been paying more," Syamsuddin said.
Some circles in the industry sector have questioned the elimination of the 18 percent tariff hike ceiling that has brought about an increase in electricity tariff. Ceiling hike has previously been eliminated by PLN for its business customers since October 2010 and now also introduced to industrial customers.
(KR-VFT/HAJM/S012/P003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
