Power bill suspended until August<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The House of Representatives suspended on Friday the
\ndeliberation of the power bill, but will resume the debate after
\nthe Aug. 1-12 Annual Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly.<\/p>\n
Priyo Budi Santoso, a legislator of House Commission VIII on
\nenergy and environment, said the House hoped to be able to pass
\nthe bill into law late in August.<\/p>\n
\"The House has decided to suspend deliberation of the
\nelectricity bill until next month's annual session. But we and
\nthe government have agreed to pass the bill into law by Aug. 28
\nat the earliest,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The law will terminate the long-held monopoly of state-owned
\nelectricity company PLN. This will help attract private
\ninvestment into the power sector.<\/p>\n
Initially, the House was expected to finish the deliberation
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
However, Priyo said, the House decided to continue the
\ndeliberation after the annual session because there were some
\ncrucial points that need further discussion.<\/p>\n
Without giving details, Priyo mentioned several crucial points
\nbeing debated. They include the establishment of the Power Market
\nAgency, non-competitive and competitive areas, new technology in
\nelectricity, and more.<\/p>\n
Opponents of the bill have warned the power law would open the
\nsector to a free market system and would cause electricity prices
\nto soar. -- JP<\/p>",
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