Electricity Bill Is Going Up Again For Some, And Yes, Global Drama Is Partly To Blame

We’re getting a lower energy rebate than before.

Credit: Freepik & Malay Mail

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Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has announced the Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA) rate for April, and there is technically a rebate of 0.47 sen per kWh.

First, the good news. If you’re a domestic user who uses 600 kWh or less (roughly a RM215.98 bill), the AFA does not apply to you.

So the average household that doesn’t treat air-conditioning like oxygen should be safe, for now.

As mentioned, rebate for April has been set at RM0.0047 per kWh, compared with RM0.0215 per kWh.

According to TNB’s Facebook post, if a consumer uses 800 kWh in April and it costs RM333.44, they get a rebate of RM3.76, bringing the total bill to RM329.68.

The AFA also doesn’t apply to consumers who subscribe to green electricity tariff, which uses renewable energy sources.

Now the not-so-good news.

TNB also released a three-month forecast for AFA rates:

May: 3.9 sen/kWh
June: 9.1 sen/kWh
July: 8.0 sen/kWh

When those numbers go up, your bill goes up. Simple as that.

So why is this happening? The AFA replaces the old Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) system, and it basically adjusts electricity prices based on two things:

Global fuel prices (coal, gas, etc.)
Foreign exchange rates

And right now, neither is exactly friendly.

At the time of the announcement, Brent crude jumped 4.1% to US$117.4 per barrel, which is energy-market code for: everything that uses fuel is about to get more expensive, including electricity.

In other words, when global conflicts heat up, fuel prices go up. When fuel prices go up, power generation costs go up.

And when power generation costs go up, your TNB bill says hello.

The AFA, launched by the Energy Commission in July 2025, is a monthly mechanism that adjusts electricity tariffs in line with prevailing fuel costs, such as gas and coal, and changes in exchange rates. It replaced the ICPT system, which was adjusted every six months.

So while the rebate this month exists, the trend suggests Malaysians may need to prepare for slightly higher electricity bills in the coming months, especially heavier users.

The next time someone leaves the aircond on with the windows open, you are legally allowed to stare at them dramatically while holding your TNB bill.

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