Maximum Demand Quick Facts

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What is Maximum Demand?

Maximum Demand is the highest demand recorded by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) for all the half hour periods during peak hours, from 0800 to 2200 hours, in the month. This is the peak load that the customer requires from TNB at any one time.

How is Maximum Demand Calculated?

Demand is the rate of energy used and is measured in kilowatts (kW). This is different to energy which is measured in kilowatts-hour (kWh).

Demand is calculated in fixed half-hour (30 minutes) periods. The periods are calculated in 30 minute intervals starting from 0800 until 2200 hours. The first period would be from 0800 to 0830 hours, the second would be from 0830 to 0900 hours, so on and so forth.

TNB calculates the demand according to the energy consumed during that half-hour period.

Example: If 2000kWh of energy is consumed during the first period (0800 to 0830), the demand would be 2000kWh / 0.5 hr = 4000kW

The Maximum Demand would then be the highest recorded demand for all the half hour periods during the month.

The consumer is then billed based on the recorded Maximum Demand.

Who is charged Maximum Demand?

Maximum Demand is only applicable for TNB Consumers in tariff C1, C2, E1, E1S, E2, E2S, E3, E3S, and F.

Maximum Demand is not applicable to household (Tariff A) and Commercial under Tariff B.

Maximum Demand is only calculated during peak hours, from 0800 hrs till 2200 hrs.

Maximum Demand is assessed for every day of the week unless you have a special Sunday Tariff Rider (STR) from TNB which would exempt Maximum Demand calculations on Sundays.

Why is Maximum Demand required?

In order for TNB to cater the consumer’s maximum energy needs, TNB must prepare sufficient capacity and invest in the infrastructure (generators, transmission lines, distribution system) that goes with it. A high demand may only happened 10% of the time but TNB must be prepared for that load a 100% of the time. This is the reason behind the Maximum Demand surcharge.

Learn More

You can check out our case studies for Maximum Demand Control. Check out our services and products as well. You can also contact us if you need more information.