Until April 2022, PLN Recorded An 8 Percent Increase In Electricity Sales

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - PLN's Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications and CSR Diah Ayu Permatasari revealed that electricity sales until April 2022 reached 88.803 Gigawatt hour (GWh), growing by 8.62 percent compared to the same period last year of 81.756 GWh.

This figure is higher than Indonesia's economic growth in the first quarter of 2022, which was 5.01 percent year on year (yoy).

"This increase in electricity sales marks the start of the Indonesian economy to recover, because electricity demand is in line with economic growth," Diah told reporters, Friday, May 20.

PLN recorded that the highest electricity sales growth until April 2022 occurred in Riau and Riau Islands, which was 43.8 percent.

Then the regions with the second-highest growth in electricity sales were South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi (Sulselrabar) at 23.5 percent. Followed by the Bangka Belitung region with a growth of 12.8 percent compared to last year.

Diah said that the increase in electricity sales was triggered by various transformation programs that were carried out on an ongoing basis. In addition, PLN is also encouraged to launch a sales intensification and extensification program carried out by PLN during the post-pandemic economic recovery.

"We continue to innovate to encourage electricity sales. For household customers, we encourage an electrifying lifestyle. In other words, we don't want to be complacent with today's achievements," said Diah.

Diah explained that PLN's strategy to intensify electricity sales was to encourage the use of customers' electricity for productive activities. This step was carried out by PLN through a series of bundling programs and additional power promotions.

PLN also encourages the implementation of a lifestyle by using electricity-based equipment in everyday life or an electrifying lifestyle, such as encouraging an ecosystem of battery-based electric vehicles and the use of induction cookers.

"Many programs we provide encourage electricity consumption. Such as a 30 percent discount for electric vehicle owners who charge their electric vehicles at night," said Diah.

She continued for the sales extensification strategy, namely increasing the number of PLN customers. This strategy is pursued through a win-back program, namely acquiring captive power or replacing electricity for companies that still use their own generators with electricity supply from PLN.

"This step is taken so that customers can focus on their core business. Electricity matters, let us do the backup," added Diah.

Not only that, PLN also continues to explore potential market niches in various sectors. For example, electrifying agriculture and electrifying marine programs for the agriculture, livestock, plantation, and fisheries and marine sectors.

"A number of strategies carried out by PLN are a form of company support in driving the economy by providing electricity for productive activities," Diah explained.