KOTA KINABALU: Sabah businesses facing higher electricity costs following the Feb 1 tariff revision may find some relief through the Off Peak Tariff Rider (OPTR) scheme, which offers up to a 20% discount on electricity usage during off-peak hours.
Sabah Electricity is urging commercial and low-voltage industrial users to manage costs by adopting the off peak power usage scheme, which could help them reduce their utility bills.
In a statement, the Sabah Electricity said it would offer a 20% discount on energy charges during off-peak hours from 10.01pm to 7.59am for businesses especially those operating late nights or with high load factors.
The company said the objective was to encourage off-peak consumption, improve system efficiency, and reduce monthly bills for such users.
SESB explained that the OPTR is part of its broader demand-side management strategy, designed to balance electricity usage across peak and off-peak periods while helping businesses adapt to the new tariffs.
Further details are available at SESB’s official website: www.sesb.com.my.
With effect of Feb 1, electricity tariffs in Sabah and Labuan rose by just over five sen per kilowatt-hour (kWh), increasing the average basic tariff from 34.52sen to 39.70sen per kWh.
The 15% increase was carried out under the Incentive-Based Regulation (IBR) framework, is the first in 12 years to cope with the rising generation costs, infrastructure needs, and gradual subsidy reductions.
However, the company said that about 85% of households consuming up to 600 kWh monthly will see minimal increases capped at RM27 while small businesses can expect increases between RM4 and RM24, with targeted subsidies and rebates to cushion the effect.
The increase is due to Sabah Electricity’s higher operating and maintenance costs, as well as to rationalize the federal subsidy.
