Electricity rates go up

Thursday June 5, 2008

PUTRAJAYA: Less than half of the Malaysian households will be affected by the new electricity tariffs that were announced together with the increase in fuel prices yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said 59% of Malaysian households would pay the same rates as before the tariff hike, so long as they maintain their usage rates.

“The new tariff will not affect those who only use 200 kilowatts/hour (kWh) and below every month. Their estimated monthly bill should be less than RM43.60 a month,” he said in a statement released to reporters when he announced the increase in petrol prices here.

He said a new tariff structure would be announced soon for Sabah and Sarawak.

As for commercial and industrial consumers, Abdullah said their rates would see a 26% increase.

“However, for the commercial and industrial categories, consideration is made for shop owners and small restaurant operators, and rural industry users who use less than 200kWh a month will only see an 18% increase,” he said.

He said with the restructuring of the fuel subsidies and the increase in coal prices, the Government had approved the new electricity tariff structure to allow Tenaga Nasional to absorb the cost for both commodities.