Power bill suspended until August

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives suspended on Friday the deliberation of the power bill, but will resume the debate after the Aug. 1-12 Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

Priyo Budi Santoso, a legislator of House Commission VIII on energy and environment, said the House hoped to be able to pass the bill into law late in August.

"The House has decided to suspend deliberation of the electricity bill until next month's annual session. But we and the government have agreed to pass the bill into law by Aug. 28 at the earliest," he told The Jakarta Post.

The law will terminate the long-held monopoly of state-owned electricity company PLN. This will help attract private investment into the power sector.

Initially, the House was expected to finish the deliberation on Friday.

However, Priyo said, the House decided to continue the deliberation after the annual session because there were some crucial points that need further discussion.

Without giving details, Priyo mentioned several crucial points being debated. They include the establishment of the Power Market Agency, non-competitive and competitive areas, new technology in electricity, and more.

Opponents of the bill have warned the power law would open the sector to a free market system and would cause electricity prices to soar. -- JP