TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) head Tulus Abadi opined the state-run electricity firm PLN must compensate customers affected by Java power outage based on their real loss.

“The fairest compensation is based on the customer’s real loss which can be 50 percent discount,” said Tulus in a short message to Tempo, Tuesday, August 6.

Tulus said the compensation in the form of 50 discount bill could take effect in the next month’s bill payment. While the regular compensation, he added, had been provided, which was 15-20 percent cut of the cost or subscription fee.

However, the compensation was not enough and did not equal to customers’ loss.

Tulus said that the public could also file a class-action lawsuit against the electricity company as referred to Law No. 8/1999 concerning customers’ protection.

Previously, PLN's second director of strategic procurement, Djoko Raharjo Abumanan, said that his corporate will compensate all customers in the form of discounts. According to him, 30 percent of all customers in Indonesia or 21.3 million people were affected by the blackout over the past two days, Sunday-Monday, August 4-5.

Java power outage hit Banten, Jakarta, and West Java starting Sunday afternoon. PLN explained that the incident caused by several troubles in its 500-kV Extra High Voltage Air Duct (SUTET) in Ungaran-Pemalang.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA | HENDARTYO HANGGI