Feed in Tariff, Renewable Energy and TNB Billing.

I have been following the features on Renewable Energy with avid interest, and the RE Act 2011 mandates that consumers who use more than 300kwh of electricity per month will have to pay an additional 1% levy on the monthly cost. The additional 'contribution' from the consumers will be used to fund the implementation of renewable energy resources which will alleviate the country's dependence of diminishing and 'dirty' fossil fuel. TNB is required to report to Parliament annually on the use and the dispensation of the RE Fund, collected from the consumers.

While we should be happy that the Government is adopting such a far sighted move, albeit with additional cost to us, the poor consumers, we should consider the cautionary remarks that have been made that " the authorities {should} would implement the RE strategies taking into account some companies who are eager to make a quick buck by riding on the country's vision to go green

However, my immediate concern is as a small domestic consumer, and that TNB has been shown to be not efficient in the reading of meters and the usage of the Estimation process in billing the consumers. Our electricity tariff rates are based on kwh consumption PER MONTH, and based on this policy, the correct way to bill the consumer is to read the meters every 30 days, or close to it, and bill the consumer accordingly.

If the TNB continues to practice reading the meters for periods longer than 30 days, it will unfairly push the consumer to pay higher tariffs, (eg over 200 kwh per month), and now, since the RE Act 2011 is in place, also a higher 1% levy for the RE Fund. Sending bills to the consumer by post, based on normally much higher estimations will also have the same consequence of hitting the consumers with higher than appropriate tariffs.

The paying public deserves to be treated in a fair manner, and it is only through efficient practices and transparent policies can we be assured that our payments and taxes are not being paid in vain..
Ensure 'green levy' is based on monthly bills..