Good News, Discount On Electricity Rates And Exemption Of Subscription Fees Extended Until December 2021

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government has decided to extend the electricity program stimulus in the form of discounted electricity tariffs, the implementation of exemption from the burden or subscription fee, as well as exemption from the application of minimum account provisions until the fourth quarter or until December 2021.

Director of Electricity Business Development Ida Nuryatin Finahari said the extension of the electricity stimulus was carried out to ease the burden on the community during the level 4 community activity restriction (PPKM) implementation.

"This assistance is one of the efforts to accelerate the national economic recovery as well as a form of the state's presence in easing the burden on the community due to the COVID-19 pandemic," he said at the KPCPEN Productive Dialogue which was broadcast on the FMB9ID IKP youtube account, quoted from Antara, Friday, July 30.

The extension of the electricity program stimulus is a follow-up to the statement of the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Sri Mulyani at the Press Conference on Evaluation of the Implementation of PPKM Level 4, last Saturday, July 17.

The budget plan for the stimulus program for the electricity program in the third and fourth quarters of 2021 is around IDR4.97 trillion, namely in the third quarter of around IDR2.43 trillion for 26.82 million customers and in the fourth quarter of around IDR2.54 trillion for 27.12 million customers.

"The realization of the first semester of 2021 budget reached Rp6.75 trillion," he said.

Thus, the total budget needed for the provision of electricity program stimulus until the fourth quarter of 2021 is around Rp. 11.72 trillion (tariff discount of around Rp. 9.46 trillion and exemption of minimum accounts, expenses and subscription fees of around Rp. 2.26 trillion).

PLN's Director of Commerce and Customer Management Bob Saril said that PLN is ready to implement the Government's decision to extend the electricity stimulus until December 2021.

"PLN is ready to support the government's program to distribute electricity stimulus to registered customers. We have prepared a distribution mechanism and complaints," he said.

PLN has also prepared a digital application to make it easier for the public to check information related to the electricity program stimulus obtained, customers can access PLN Mobile by downloading it.

Bob also mentioned PLN's readiness to provide customer service during emergency PPKM together with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, establishing a COVID-19 Emergency Alert post on 7-30 July 2021 to monitor electricity supply during emergency PPKM.

"PLN is also ready to maintain the reliability of electricity supply so that people who work from home or study from home can enjoy without having to leave the house," he said.

Public Policy Observer Agus Pambagio considers the Government's policy to provide electricity stimulus is a good step, especially in the face of the emergency Imposition of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

"In the current situation, the Government must step in. (The provision of electricity stimulus) is a good thing for household customers of 450 VA to 900 VA (subsidized), business, as well as industry including MSMEs. Otherwise, it could collapse," he said.

However, Agus reminded the importance of PLN to make customer data showing changes in the customer's economy after receiving the electricity stimulus.

"The important thing is that PLN can make data from the groups of people who are assisted, they are not improving their economy, or at least they can survive. So the data can show which ones are surviving, which are growing. At least PLN has data that can be used by regulators to show that This stimulus really helps the community," said Agus.