Prorated method is accurate, transparent, assures TNB

Its chief retail officer Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan said the bills are from actual meter readings which are proportionally prorated monthly over the block tariff during the MCO.

"The prorated method is very accurate and transparent. The method has also been reviewed and approved by the Energy Commission. The same method is being used by utility companies in other countries such as Australia and Europe," he said.

He gave the explanation in response to consumers' conjecture that the spike in electricity bills with regard to the MCO period was due to miscalculation.

Megat Jalaluddin said the prorated method was applied to ensure that consumers are not overcharged.

He was earlier reported to have disclosed that electricity consumption in the residential sector had increased between 20 and 50 per cent following the MCO as people were staying put at home and employees were working from home.

During the MCO to curb COVID-19, TNB only issued bill estimates as meter readings and bill delivery to consumers' premises were restricted.

Meter readings in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur resumed this month and May 15 for other states that had been classified earlier as COVID-19 green and yellow zones.

TNB concurrently restructured its customers' bills using the prorated method.

For consumers' convenience, TNB has provided an instalment payment facility for bills incurred during the MCO period until December.

The facility is provided automatically to over 7.5 million residential sector consumers.