Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has given an assurance that the proposed electricity tariff adjustment, if it were approved by the government, will not burden consumers.

In fact, TNB president and chief executive officer Ir Azman Mohd said domestic users who consume less than 200 kWh a month would not be see any increase in their monthly bill due to the tariff adjustment.

“About half of our eight million consumers are those who consume less than 200 kWh and have a monthly bill of less than RM70. They will not see any increase in their bills and will not be burdened.

“However, if the tariff adjustment were approved, it will be reasonable... the people need not to worry, it will not be a double or a triple increase... there is a certain percentage, but it will not be that high,” he told reporters at the TNB Aidilfitri function in Kuala Lumpur today.

Also present was TNB chairperson Leo Moggie.

Azman said the final decision on the new tariff would be made by the government based on inputs and information given by TNB.

“... Many meetings have been convened to discuss the matter,

“We are confident that the government will give its fair considerations to all quarters, including consumers and the industry players,” he said.

Azman said electricity tariff adjustment, should it be made in the future, was due to the hike in the price of fuel, and not to increase TNB’s profit.

“TNB is neutral, we have nothing to lose, the company that is suffering losses now is Petronas as it has to pay such a high price to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel,” he said.

He said right now, Petronas fixed the price of the gas to generate electricity at RM13.70 per MMBtu, a rate much less than the market price of RM40 per MMBtu.

- Bernama