PLN to pay compensation to industries in West Java and Banten

Industries in Banten and West Java affected by the power blackout which hit many parts of Java on Thursday would receive compensation from the state owned electricity company PLN.

PLN?s general manager for West Java and Banten, Murtaki Samsuddin said in Bandung on Friday that the industries in the two provinces would receive a compensation amounting to about 10 percent of their monthly subscription fee for the cut in the power supply for about 7.5 hours on Thursday.

He said that about 2.3 million of PLN?s customers were affected by the power blackout but the compensation would be given only to industries, which used the larger part of the company?s power supply.

PLN?s customers have to pay monthly subscription fee in addition to the charge on their electricity usage. The subscription fee varies depending on the capacity of the power supply they receive.

The compensation measure is apparently in conflict with earlier statement by PLN?s president director Eddie Widiono. He has said hat PLN?s customers had no rights to receive compensation because according to the existing regulation, the compensation should be paid only if the power failure occurred more than 24 hours.

?If the power failure takes place less than 24 hours, PLN is not obliged to pay the compensation. There is no legal ground for the electricity users to demand for compensation from the power blackout on Thursday,? he said. (dino)