KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) suggested today that the sudden hike in electricity bills could be due to an increase in the use of electrical appliances as consumers try to stay cool in the hot season.
The national power company, in a statement responding to complaints on social media, pointed out that a higher usage of appliances like air-conditioners would naturally result in higher bills.
“Prolonged hot and dry weather spells usually influence consumption habits on the use of electrical appliances, especially air-conditioning units, which use relatively more electricity than other appliances,” the firm said in its TNB Careline page on Facebook.
TNB added that during the hot weather, consumers have a tendency to lower the temperatures on their air-conditioning units, crank up fan speeds and extend the duration of their use, all of which contribute to an increase in power use.
The firm also said that the increase in power bills could be caused by “old electrical appliances not being serviced well”.
“All these factors will raise the usage of electricity drastically, which will in turn affect the user’s electricity bill,” it said.
TNB, however, urged consumers to contact its nearest branch if the spike in their bills is not due to any of the reasons mentioned in its statement.
Earlier today, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported that Internet users have been railing against TNB over an alleged increase in power charges.
According to the report, consumers took to TNB’s Careline page to vent their anger, some claiming that their bills have nearly doubled or tripled.
