Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is expected to submit a plan for a 15-percent rise in the basic power rate (TDL) to the House of Representatives (DPR) in April, an official said.

Director General of Electricity and Energy Utilization at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry J Purwono said on Wednesday his office was still discussing the plan in details.

"In April we will discuss it with the DPR," he said.

Under Law No.47 of 2009 on the 2010 State Budget, the House has allowed the government to raise the power rate, he said.

But according to Law No. 30 of 2009 on Electricity, any increase in power rate must be approved by the House, he said.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Saleh meanwhile said the government would consider the purchasing power of small-scale subscribers in raising the power rate.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Monday the government was expected to raise the power rate by about 15 percent in July.

She said the government would not raise the power rate in the first semester of this year because it saw that the economic recovery was still ongoing.

In addition, it also wanted to focus on improving power supply services for the people, she said.

The government in its revised 2010 state budget increased electricity subsidy by Rp16.7 trillion to Rp54.5 trillion from Rp37.8 trillion previously.(*)

Editor: Heru

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