Holiday Ayo - 

Numerous netizens have voiced complaints regarding a surge in postpaid electricity bills for the March 2025 billing period, following the expiration of a government-mandated electricity discount program that had been in place for the previous two months.

In response to the growing complaints, state electricity company PT PLN (Persero) clarified that the spike in electricity bills was most likely due to changes in customers’ consumption patterns. PLN’s Vice President of Corporate Communication, Grahita Muhammad, emphasized that electricity rates for the second quarter of 2025 have not undergone any changes or increases.

"The increase in electricity bills is most likely caused by a rise in usage patterns," Grahita stated in a written statement, as quoted on Sunday (April 6, 2025).

He added that the 50-percent electricity discount officially ended on March 1, 2025. Since then, standard electricity tariffs, as determined by the government, have been reinstated without any further reductions.

Meanwhile, complaints from the public have continued to flood various social media platforms. One user claimed that despite their home being unoccupied, their electricity bill soared dramatically. They also alleged potential underpayment issues due to a blurry meter reading. The user shared billing data for the past three months—showing a charge of Rp66,745 for 88 kWh in February 2025, with a similar amount the following month. However, in April 2025, the bill reportedly jumped to Rp1.36 million for 901 kWh.

A similar concern was raised by the user @ri_fiiiii, who reported a twofold increase in their electricity bill. Before the discount program was implemented, their monthly bill hovered around Rp300,000. After the program ended, the amount surged to Rp600,000.

This situation has sparked widespread concern and public pressure on PLN to provide greater transparency and conduct a thorough evaluation of its billing system and meter reading procedures.