ID :
103465
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 17:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/103465
The shortlink copeid
News Focus: INDONESIA TO SOLVE POWER CRISIS IN STAGES
By Eliswan Azly
Jakarta, Jan 29 (ANTARA) - The power crisis which has been confronting Indonesia over the past three years as marked with rotating blackouts in many regions of this country will be overcome in stages.
The year 2010 is seen as a starting point to steadily solve the power outages which was reported to have entered a phase of energy supply emergency after 22 of the 24 power plants are short in their power supply and in alert status.
On Thursday when dedicating a coal-fired power plant in Labuhan, Banten, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government pledged to solve the electricity shortage problem in the country this year, so that people would no longer have to endure power outages.
"We are resolved to make all possible efforts, so that the problem, God willing, will be solved this year," the head of state said, adding that outage problems outside Java would also be solved this year.
One way to settle the electricity supply problem in the regions is by distributing access supply from factories to them, he said.
In addition, the government would also accelerate improvement of distribution and transmission channels.
With regard to settling the outage problem President Yudhoyono said he had already signed a regulation to speed up the first and second phase of the 10,000 MW development project.
Yudhoyono meanwhile said that the state-owned electricity company PLN would not be able to overcome the supply problem by itself and therefore the government would improve its policy and regulations so that private parties could participate in the development of power plants.
PLTU Labuhan which has a total capacity of 2x300 MW is part of the first phase of the 10,000 MW development project.
The first unit of PLTU Labuhan has already started operating in October 2009 while the second one is expected to start commercially in March 2010. PLTU Labuhan uses a total of 2.16 million tons of coal a year.
On the occasion the president also dedicated the Labuhan Angin coal-fired power project in North Sumatra which has a capacity of producing 2x115 MW electricity but is not part of the 10,000 MW project.
By doing so, step by step power outage could be overcome with the operation of new power plants in some regions.
In the meantime, Economic Coordinating Minister Hatta Rajasa last year said the power condition was in emergency phase, because we have deficit in 11 regions of electricity system and other 11 regions were in alarming condition.
"The notion of deficit is totally lack of power while the alarming condition is that we can't provide more power if there is a demand of additional electricity," he said, adding that the government hoped that in the next six months, there would be a concrete solution to reduce the scarcity.
The power crisis grew following power transformer damage in the main electricity post in Cawang and Kembangan, two areas in the capital city of Jakarta in September.
The damage forced Jakarta and surrounding areas to experience an alternative blackout. The same blackout was already felt by some regions throughout the country due to power deficit.
However, Hatta Radjasa said Indonesia`s power crisis would be expected to be over by October 2010. "We will have no more power crises starting in October 2010."
Furthermore, he said the president had made effort to solve the power crisis as one of the government?s priority programs.
"We first have to solve the power crisis in Java and Bali islands. Later, we will address the problem in the other parts of the country," Hatta said.
Therefore, he suggested that regional administrations outside Java and Bali should cooperate with private parties to tackle their power problems.
"New national power regulations make it possible for local governments to cooperate with private companies to meet their power needs," he said.
Meanwhile, State Enterprises Minister Mustofa Abubakar said local governments could also invite local banks to build power infrastructure.
The first phase of the 10,000 MW project spreads in 37 cities in and outside Java while the second phase of the project will be focused on the development of power plants using renewable resources such as geothermal energy.
He said the first phase of the project would cost
US$6 billion in addition to around Rp30 trillion worth of loans state-owned, foreign and private banks.
Commenting on power crisis, House Speaker Marzuki Alie was reported to have asked the government to take a bigger role in helping solve the protracted electricity shortage.
"The government should have clear short-term, middle-term, and long-term action plans to resolve the power crisis," he said.
"In the short-term, the government must quickly settle the rotating blackout which has lasted for months. This is essential as the power deficit will definitely impact manufacturing and administrative activities," Marzuki said.
He said in the medium- and long term, it was advisable for the government to develop new and alternative energy sources. "Alternative energy can be in the form of geothermal energy or any other form of renewable energy, thus ensuring the country will have sufficient power until 2015," he added without specifying what exactly will occur in 2015.
Marzuki said the House had received many complaints from various stakeholders regarding the disturbance caused by the power crisis and problems linked to the blackouts.
"Analysts say investment might decrease if the government fails to ensure a sufficient supply of electricity," he said.
***
Jakarta, Jan 29 (ANTARA) - The power crisis which has been confronting Indonesia over the past three years as marked with rotating blackouts in many regions of this country will be overcome in stages.
The year 2010 is seen as a starting point to steadily solve the power outages which was reported to have entered a phase of energy supply emergency after 22 of the 24 power plants are short in their power supply and in alert status.
On Thursday when dedicating a coal-fired power plant in Labuhan, Banten, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government pledged to solve the electricity shortage problem in the country this year, so that people would no longer have to endure power outages.
"We are resolved to make all possible efforts, so that the problem, God willing, will be solved this year," the head of state said, adding that outage problems outside Java would also be solved this year.
One way to settle the electricity supply problem in the regions is by distributing access supply from factories to them, he said.
In addition, the government would also accelerate improvement of distribution and transmission channels.
With regard to settling the outage problem President Yudhoyono said he had already signed a regulation to speed up the first and second phase of the 10,000 MW development project.
Yudhoyono meanwhile said that the state-owned electricity company PLN would not be able to overcome the supply problem by itself and therefore the government would improve its policy and regulations so that private parties could participate in the development of power plants.
PLTU Labuhan which has a total capacity of 2x300 MW is part of the first phase of the 10,000 MW development project.
The first unit of PLTU Labuhan has already started operating in October 2009 while the second one is expected to start commercially in March 2010. PLTU Labuhan uses a total of 2.16 million tons of coal a year.
On the occasion the president also dedicated the Labuhan Angin coal-fired power project in North Sumatra which has a capacity of producing 2x115 MW electricity but is not part of the 10,000 MW project.
By doing so, step by step power outage could be overcome with the operation of new power plants in some regions.
In the meantime, Economic Coordinating Minister Hatta Rajasa last year said the power condition was in emergency phase, because we have deficit in 11 regions of electricity system and other 11 regions were in alarming condition.
"The notion of deficit is totally lack of power while the alarming condition is that we can't provide more power if there is a demand of additional electricity," he said, adding that the government hoped that in the next six months, there would be a concrete solution to reduce the scarcity.
The power crisis grew following power transformer damage in the main electricity post in Cawang and Kembangan, two areas in the capital city of Jakarta in September.
The damage forced Jakarta and surrounding areas to experience an alternative blackout. The same blackout was already felt by some regions throughout the country due to power deficit.
However, Hatta Radjasa said Indonesia`s power crisis would be expected to be over by October 2010. "We will have no more power crises starting in October 2010."
Furthermore, he said the president had made effort to solve the power crisis as one of the government?s priority programs.
"We first have to solve the power crisis in Java and Bali islands. Later, we will address the problem in the other parts of the country," Hatta said.
Therefore, he suggested that regional administrations outside Java and Bali should cooperate with private parties to tackle their power problems.
"New national power regulations make it possible for local governments to cooperate with private companies to meet their power needs," he said.
Meanwhile, State Enterprises Minister Mustofa Abubakar said local governments could also invite local banks to build power infrastructure.
The first phase of the 10,000 MW project spreads in 37 cities in and outside Java while the second phase of the project will be focused on the development of power plants using renewable resources such as geothermal energy.
He said the first phase of the project would cost
US$6 billion in addition to around Rp30 trillion worth of loans state-owned, foreign and private banks.
Commenting on power crisis, House Speaker Marzuki Alie was reported to have asked the government to take a bigger role in helping solve the protracted electricity shortage.
"The government should have clear short-term, middle-term, and long-term action plans to resolve the power crisis," he said.
"In the short-term, the government must quickly settle the rotating blackout which has lasted for months. This is essential as the power deficit will definitely impact manufacturing and administrative activities," Marzuki said.
He said in the medium- and long term, it was advisable for the government to develop new and alternative energy sources. "Alternative energy can be in the form of geothermal energy or any other form of renewable energy, thus ensuring the country will have sufficient power until 2015," he added without specifying what exactly will occur in 2015.
Marzuki said the House had received many complaints from various stakeholders regarding the disturbance caused by the power crisis and problems linked to the blackouts.
"Analysts say investment might decrease if the government fails to ensure a sufficient supply of electricity," he said.
***
