REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) saw its electrical power sales in the January-September period grow 6.23 percent from the same period last year.

The year on year growth was lower than that of the January-August period, which was recorded at 6.54 percent, the Head of the Commercial Division of PLN, Benny Marbun, said here on Wednesday (15/10).

"The month of September registered low sales, partly because medium industrial customers' groups i-3 and i-4 saw below par sales as also the group of middle-class households R1/2200 VA," he explained.

Overall, the three groups of customers made up 35.81 percent of the electrical power sales, Marbun noted, adding that a year on year comparison showed a 3.83 percent growth in sales in September.

Furthermore, Marbun pointed out that the drop in electrical power sales in September was also due to the financial pressure medium-scale industries were under following the power tariff hike.

"Several industries, such as textile companies, came under pressure (due to a hike in power tariffs). Many of them even ceased production," he stated.

Moreover, large-scale industries, such as steel companies, reduced the consumption of electrical power due to low demand in the domestic market and stiff competition from Chinese steel producers in the global market, Marbun explained.

The sluggish global economy had also affected the sales in the domestic and foreign markets, he added.

"In the remaining three months (of the year), we must increase the sale of electrical power, even in the non-industrial sectors in Java," he remarked.

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