75 million people in RI have no access to power<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While Jakarta is brilliantly lit up ahead of the Idul Fitri
\nholiday, about 75 million people across the country, mostly
\nliving in rural areas, have no access to electricity.<\/p>\n
A World Bank report released on Monday said Indonesia was
\nlagging behind other countries in the region in its
\nelectrification ratio, partly due to the cost of investment in
\nthe sector.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, with a 39 percent electrification ratio in 1994,
\nonly reported 65 percent coverage in 2003.<\/p>\n
In comparison, Vietnam, which had an electrification ratio of
\n15 percent in 1994, increased that to 83.5 percent in 2003.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia can increase the ratio to 90 percent in 2020 and
\neven to 95 percent in 2025. It is an ambitious target but a
\npossible one," said World Bank senior infrastructure economist
\nMigara Jayawerdana on Monday.<\/p>\n
To explore options for reaching these targets, the World Bank,
\nin cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources
\nand state utility company PT PLN, will hold a one-day workshop at
\nthe Gran Melia Hotel in South Jakarta on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Jayawerdana said that to reach the 90 percent target by 2020,
\nthe country would have to provide access to electricity to an
\nadditional 1.5 million people annually.<\/p>\n
"Each province will require specific solutions in terms of
\nfinancing, types of resources used to generate power as well as
\ndevelopment methods," he said.<\/p>\n
Java island, with 72 percent electrification coverage, is rich
\nin geothermal and biomass energy, potential resources for
\nenvironmentally friendly, renewable sources of electricity, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"Half of the population without electricity, or some 35.6
\nmillion people, reside in Java, especially in the rural areas,"
\nJayawerdana said, adding that there was still 18 percent of the
\nnonrural population that did not have access to power.<\/p>\n
Islands with the lowest coverage of electrification are Nusa
\nTenggara and Papua, with 34 percent and 21 percent coverage,
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
"Since PLN must apply an across-the-board rate, it is not
\nfeasible for them to expand their network in those areas since it
\nwould cost them more than the income they could generate there,"
\nadded Jayawerdana.<\/p>\n
PLN is focusing its expansion on Java, Bali and Sumatra,
\nallocating just 17 percent of its projects for other islands in
\norder to minimize losses.<\/p>\n
The one-day workshop on Tuesday to be attended by provincial
\nrepresentatives will discuss options for overcoming barriers to
\nsuccessful electrification in the country.<\/p>\n
"We will discuss cost recovery, financing options, legal
\nframeworks and the institutional support needed to reach the
\ntargets," Jayawerdana said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/75-million-people-in-ri-have-no-access-to-power-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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