The government has decided to overhaul the nation's electricity billing system including the controversial progressive rule.

During a parliamentary meeting on Thursday, the government and ruling party task force on the billing system, Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Joo Hyung-hwan vowed to come up with a fundamental revision to the overall electricity rate system.

He said this will include addressing problems that arise from implementing the progressive rule and determining whether the different rates for educational and industrial power use are appropriate and fair.

Household rates are currently subject to a six-stage cumulative billing system which charges very high rates when more energy is used.

But changes to the system have long been called for over the high number of stages and the wide rate difference of eleven-point-seven fold between the lowest and the highest level. 

As public anger boiled over expensive power bills amid the spiked demand for air conditioning with continuing heat waves, the government announced last week to ease the progressive rates, at least for the months of July, August and September.