JAVA-BALI POWER CONSUMPTION SOARS IN MAY

Jakarta, June 22 (ANTARA) - Power consumption in the densely-populated islands of Java and Bali soared to 9,710 giga watts per hour (GWh) in May 2009 from 9,407 GWh in the same period last year, state electricity company PLN said.

The May 2009 power consumption also exceeded the average monthly figure , PLN director for Java-Bali Grids Murtaqi Syamsuddin said here on Monday.

"The peak load in the Java-Bali grids in May reached 16,580 MW, exceeding the monthly peak load of 16,300 MW last year," he said.

Power consumption in Java and Bali accounted for nearly 80 percent of national consumption, he said.

But he added national power consumption in the January-May 2009 period only grew 0.16 percent compared to the same period last year.

"The low growth was caused by low power consumption in January and February 2009 apparently because it was still influenced by the global financial crisis," he said.

Power consumption in January and February 2009 reached 8,859 GWh and 8,244 GWh respectively.

He said power consumption increased to 9,311 GWh in March 2009, 9,278 GWh in April 2009 and 9,710 GWh in May, outstripping the average monthly power consumption last year.

He said power consumption in Java-Bali grids stood at 9,308 GWh in January 2008, 8,404 GWh in February 2008, 8,999 GWh in March 2008, 9,210 GWh in April 2008, 9,407 GWh in May 2008, 9,179 GWh in June 2008, and 9,519 GWh in July 2008.

The figures were recorded at 9,486 GWh in August 2008, 9,206 GWh in September 2008, 9,040 GWh in October 2008, 8,916 GWh in November 2008, and 8,793 GWh in December 2008.