PUTRAJAYA: The authorities believe that the recent spate of unusually high electricity bill charges affecting a number of consumers is merely a technical error.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin, while suggesting technical error as a possible cause, declined to go into details on the matter until the Energy Commission completes its probe into the issue.
"This should not be disclosed piecemeal, but in a complete report. This is a form of (alleged) negligence (and someone) must be held accountable because there is no change to the electricity tariff in May.
"This month (May), there are 10 times more complaints, about 300 of them, (received by the commission, especially on unusually high bills).
"This is an anomaly. Something is happening and must be looked into," the minister told reporters after being briefed by the Energy Commission on the issue.
She said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) had been summoned by the commission on Tuesday for an explanation on the matter.
She said the commission could initiate legal proceedings against TNB if it had failed to comply with Section 9C of the Electricity Supply Act 1990, under which TNB and other utility providers must fulfil requirements on standards of performance of supply and services.
Yeo noted that if found guilty, TNB could be slapped with a fine of not more than RM25,000 for each complaint lodged, and if it fails to rectify the electricity bill of the affected consumer after the conviction, the company would have to pay RM500 per day.
Energy Commission chairman Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Hasan said TNB, based on its preliminary investigation, had given three reasons behind the unusually high electricity bills.
Yeo said that one of the three reasons is that the calculation of consumers' electricity consumption was made beyond the usual 30 days.
She said the Energy Commission has been given 14 days from Tuesday (May 28) to conduct its probe into the surge of complaints regarding the unusually high electricity bills.
She urged consumers who have issues with their bills to bring the matter up with TNB first, before referring to the Energy Commission.
"If they fail to get satisfactory treatment from TNB, they can bring their case to the Energy Commission. Otherwise, find the solution with TNB first.
"My concern is that the Energy Commission will suddenly become TNB’s customer service," she quipped.
Asked if those who had been overcharged could delay paying their electricity bills, Fauzi replied that the law states that consumers must pay within the stipulated timeframe.
Yeo said any extra payment made due to flawed bills must be returned to consumers – something which she would discuss further with TNB.
The minister also cautioned unaffected consumers against taking advantage of the situation.