YLKI prepares class action guidelines<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) is preparing
\nguidelines for customers affected by two power blackouts in the
\nGreater Jakarta area last week to file a class action against
\nstate-owned electricity company PT PLN.<\/p>\n
One of YLKI's lawyers, Sudaryatmo, told The Jakarta Post on
\nTuesday that the foundation was gathering information about the
\nlosses suffered by residents as a direct result of the blackouts.<\/p>\n
"We need to know where the affected areas were and how big the
\nlosses were. That's why we urge the customers to send in written
\nstatements on their losses," he said.<\/p>\n
"The statement should contain a description of the power
\noutage, such as where and for how long. It must also be
\naccompanied by their most recent electricity bill."<\/p>\n
Sudaryatmo said the foundation had not received any written
\nstatements from the public, but said there many phone calls
\ninquiring about the possible class action.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Sunday, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
\nPurnomo Yusgiantoro said in Bandung that the government was
\npreparing a compensation package for those affected by the power
\noutage. He said that the ministry's electric and power
\ndevelopment directorate general was discussing the compensation
\npackage with PLN's board of directors.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately, PLN corporate secretary Muljo Adji A.G.
\ntold the Post that the company had not entered into any
\ndiscussions yet about a compensation package.<\/p>\n
"We are following a current regulation that states
\ncompensation will only be given if the blackout lasts for three
\nconsecutive days," he said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Purnomo's statement, Sudaryatmo said that any
\npackage should give fair compensation to customers affected by
\nthe blackouts.<\/p>\n
He cited an example in which residential customers in Bogor
\nreceived only Rp 500 (5 U.S. cents) each, following a seven-day
\nblackout there in 2000.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Muljo said the company failed to pinpoint the exact
\nlocations of the transmission problems but stressed that readings
\nfrom safety devices confirmed that there were transmission
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
"We checked the transmission lines but we did not find any
\nobjects that could have caused the problem," he said.<\/p>\n
In May 2000, it took one day for PLN to find out what the
\ncause was for a similar blackout, and it turned out to be a short
\ncircuit caused by the fronds of a coconut tree.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ylki-prepares-class-action-guidelines-1447893297",
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