The fees will be waived for 400,000 such entities for power consumed between July and December. The deductions will be reflected in bills in the following month. The electricity giant will be compensated by the government with funds from the state budget.

PLN and the government are drafting regulations to implement the relief scheme, which had been requested by businesses themselves, said Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Electrification Director General Rida Mulyana on July 30.

“Some businesses told PLN and the government, ‘Pak, I have no work right now. It’s all closed. I'm using less than 40 hours of electricity. I just want to pay for 20 hours,’” Rida said during an online press briefing.

Existing regulations require PLN’s business, industrial and public service customers in or above the 1,300 volt-ampere (VA) category – medium to big enterprises – to pay for at least 40 hours of electricity each month, even if they do not make use of it.

In comparison, similar customers within the 900VA category – small enterprises – have to pay a fixed  amount per month. PLN will also waive these fees.

“Customers will only pay for the kilowatt hours [kWh] they use,” said PLN spokesman Agung Murdifi in a statement on Jul. 30.

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