KOTA KINABALU: There are approximately 400,000 consumers with outstanding bills totaling about RM200 million owed to the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).
SESB chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wilfred Madius Tangau said those who fail to pay their bills on time will receive two reminders - first, a pink notice, followed by a yellow one - before the utility company diconnects the electricity supply.
The period between these warnings and the supply disconnection is approximately 1.5 months.
"As for system losses, SESB has incurred about 17 per cent losses, with 11 per cent attributed to inevitable technical losses.
"The remaining six per cent comprises non-technical losses, which we have measures in place to reduce (incidents of power theft)," he stated during a press conference after a briefing with industry players on the Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) mechanism here.
One percent of non-technical losses is equivalent to a few million ringgit.
Madius, the member of Parliament for Tuaran, added that it would be challenging as there are over 200 squatter areas in Sabah.
He added that measures are being taken to introduce independent power distributors to sell prepaid electricity supply.
SESB has already implemented the prepaid system in Kampung Forest, Sandakan, and plans to expand it to other areas.
Meanwhile, he said that the government and the public should seriously consider the revision of electricity tariffs.
"The federal government's commitment to SESB is only until 2030.
"SESB must be independent by 2030, standing on its own like Sarawak. Perhaps the fuel, whether coal or gas, will still be subsidised, but the tariff support and cost recovery of RM800 million will no longer be borne by the federal government.
"As a corporate body, SESB has to reduce the purchase of electricity (at 43 sen/unit from independent power producers) at a higher rate.
"In terms of tariffs, I think both the people and the government need to consider it seriously. Tenaga Nasional Berhad's rate is 39 sen, while ours is 34 sen."
"Energy is not just a utility; it is a matter of national security in terms of defense and for the police (to maintain order)."