The Government And The House Of Representatives Agreed To Power Electricity For The Poor From 450 To 900 VA

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government and the Budget Agency (Banggar) of the DPR RI agreed to increase the electricity of the poor, which was originally only 450 volt amperes (VA) to 900 VA.

Chairman of the Banggar DPR RI Said Abdullah in his presentation said this was intended so that the oversupply of PLN could be handled immediately.

Based on Said's submission, it is known that the oversupply of PLN electricity is estimated to reach 41 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.

"The overplay condition of PLN's electricity reaches 6 gigawatts and will increase to 7.4 GW in 2023, even estimated to reach 41 GW in 2030," he said at a meeting to discuss the 2023 RAPBN at the DPR RI Building, Monday 12 September.

Meanwhile, there is a take or pay scheme from electricity produced by IPP, so PLN still has to pay according to the contract, which is IDR 3 trillion per 1 GW produced.

According to him, the government needs to take a policy by increasing the power for the community below the poverty line to no longer use electricity with a power of 450 VA.

"We increase the policy, that for example the poor are below the poverty line and those who are vulnerable are at least 900 VA. At least oversupply is reduced and the demand is increasing," he said.

Not only that, 900 VA users will also be increased to 1,200 VA.

With the decision being taken, he also asked PT PLN (Persero) not to charge additional costs if it later increased electricity to the poor.

"So PLN just came to tamper with the meteran box, it was tampered with from 450 VAs changed to 900 VAs, finished, why didn't the government just take it," concluded Said.

The electricity subsidy in 2023 is set at IDR 72.5 trillion. Meanwhile, the total expenditure of energy subsidies in 2023 is IDR 211.9 trillion.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance projects that by the end of 2022 the subsidy and electricity compensation will reach IDR 131.02 trillion.

The projection of Rp131.02 trillion came from a subsidy of Rp66.47 trillion and compensation of Rp64.55 trillion.