The government will review the electricity hike for industrial consumers as they have been complaining against the unanticipated increase.
Minister of Industry M.S. Hidayat said that more than 25 industrial associations protested the new electricity tariffs, for it was considered to be higher than the percentage of hike previously introduced by PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), the state electricity company, at 8%-17%.
Thus, the government will hold a coordination meeting to address the complaints and review the percentage of tariff hike which was effective on July 1.
"One industrial sector admits it to be burdensome. As Minister of Industry, I suggest some adjustments [in the percentage of hike] but it has not been yet decided and we will do some exercises [at the coordination meeting] this afternoon," he explained after attending a coordination meeting in the office of Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs today.
According to him, they will conduct a detailed review by comparing the percentage of hike version introduced by PLN and the one calculated by the business. The review will also put some details on the electricity cost levied on each business sector.
"The overworked sectors are the steel industry, frozen industry that use freezing machines, ice makers, because they need electricity and water for the operations," he said.
However, Hidayat admitted that the ministry has not yet calculated the loss potential at each business sector because each industry employs different characteristics and electricity needs.
Still, Hidayat believed that the industry will grow by 5% in the second quarter in 2010 or higher than that of the previous quarter which was 4.05%.
http://www.bisnis.com/en/business/1id192896.html
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