Banggar Chair Regarding The Elimination Of 450 VA Electricity Power: At Least Oversupply Reduces

Chairman of the House of Representatives Banggar Said Abdullah. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPR RI Budget Agency Said Abdullah proposed the abolition of 450 Volt Ampere (VA) electric power for poor households and diverted to 900 VA power to overcome the excess electricity currently experienced by PLN.

"The poor are at least 900 VA, at least oversupply (excessive) is reduced and demand (demand) increases," Said said as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 13.

Said explained that the 35 Gigawatt (GW) power plant development program launched by the government had made PLN experience excess power of up to 6 GW.

Even next year, according to him, PLN will get an additional 1.4 GW which will make the total advantages to 7.4 GW. Then the additional new power will also enter by 7.5 GW in 2026.

Electricity supplies are increasing, he said, along with the government's program to encourage New Renewable Energy (EBT) which can make PLN excess of electricity up to 41 GW by 2030.

"You can imagine that 1 GW is because taking or paying has to pay 1 GW of IDR 3 trillion. Sweets also pay IDR 3 trillion, smiling IDR 3 trillion, IDR 3 trillion, I can't do anything about it, I just have to pay IDR 3 trillion," said Said.

"So in my opinion, why don't we make decisions today, in terms of the first policy, our legacy is together for the poor, vulnerable to poverty, which is no longer allowed for 450 VAs," he continued.

In addition to proposing the removal of 450 VA of electricity and being transferred to 900 VA, Said also proposed that PLN household customers with 900 VA of electricity be increased to 1,300 VA.

According to him, the electric power of 450 VA is no longer the times.

The government, Said suggested, could take that method free of charge by assigning PLN to change the power of electricity in customer meter boxes.

Said offered the idea to try to provide free electric stoves to 450 VA-powered household customers who are diverted to 900 VA, such as the free delivery program for three kilograms of LPG cylinders for the conversion of kerosene to gas program.

"In such a way, let's change the basic policy. For electric stoves, education is important, don't just share it and then no education to the public, but the cylinders (elpiji) are starting to be withdrawn," he said.

"When do the government continue to struggle here? If we look at the LPG (three kilograms) of Rp31,275 subsidies, the distance is almost too far, it makes no sense. We can't say raising the price of three kilograms of LPG, which is more likely from a policy perspective (migration to an electric stove and pulling LPG cylinders in the community)," concluded Said.