Power blackout 'planned': Sudjana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The minister of mines and energy, I.B. Sudjana,
\nwho originally said Sunday's 10-hour blackout was because of
\ntechnical trouble, said yesterday the State Electricity Company
\n(PLN) deliberately cut power so it could do repair work.<\/p>\n
"PLN chose to do the repair work on Sunday to avoid major
\ndisruption to economic activities," Sudjana said of the blackout
\nwhich hit most of Java and Bali.<\/p>\n
PLN detected technical faults in the electronic cards in the
\nGandul transmission and load-control in Cinere, South Jakarta,
\nfour days earlier and chose Sunday to fix them, he said.<\/p>\n
"Sunday was chosen for the power cut because most factories
\nand commercial offices usually close on that day," Sudjana was
\nquoted by Antara as saying after meeting President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
But Sudjana, who met PLN's president Djiteng Marsudi earlier
\nyesterday morning, said nothing about the power cut being
\nplanned.<\/p>\n
Instead he reaffirmed Djiteng's Sunday night explanation that
\nthe blackout was because of technical faults.<\/p>\n
"It was merely an accident. An electronic card was out of
\norder," he said after a half-hour meeting with Djiteng and his
\nstaff at PLN's headquarters.<\/p>\n
Djiteng said Sudjana warned PLN of the possibility of
\nsabotage.<\/p>\n
"But I assured the minister the blackout was not because of
\nsabotage," he said.<\/p>\n
Djiteng said again yesterday the blackout was because of
\nmalfunctioning electronic cards which protect power transmission
\nfrom the Suralaya power station on Java's westernmost coast to
\nthe Gandul transmission and load-control in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Suralaya power station supplies 75 percent of Java's and
\nBali's power.<\/p>\n
Djiteng said PLN's staff checked the electronic cards yearly
\nas a standard operational procedure.<\/p>\n
The electronic card which was broken when it was last examined
\nseveral months ago, he said.<\/p>\n
Djiteng said his staff did not detect any technical problems
\nduring the last inspection.<\/p>\n
Djiteng said PLN would file a claim to the supplier because
\nthe equipment should have been in excellent operational condition
\nfor another seven years.<\/p>\n
Sudjana said the electronic cards were made in Switzerland and
\nhad a guaranteed 20-year operational life. PLN had used the cards
\nfor 13 years.<\/p>\n
Compensation<\/p>\n
The blackout has drawn protest from many people, including
\nlegislators and businesspeople.<\/p>\n
Golkar House member Sjaiful MD said PLN should work harder to
\nimprove its management and maintenance.<\/p>\n
PLN should thoroughly investigate the cause of the blackout to
\nprevent future blackouts, he said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Consumers Foundation said "the power blackout
\nspeaks loudly of PLN's poor management. Apology is not enough.
\nPLN should compensate its consumers".<\/p>\n
Businesses and offices which opened Sunday estimated the
\nblackout cost them billions of rupiah.<\/p>\n
"The blackout stopped our production and caused us at least Rp
\n300 million (US$127,100) in losses," said the technical and
\noperational director of Jakarta's drinking water company, Christ
\nTuteko.<\/p>\n
Blok M plaza's operational manager, Stevanus Ridwan, said the
\nnumber of visitors to the plaza was very low.<\/p>\n
Ridwan said the plaza's captive power unit could supply only
\n80 percent of the shopping center's needs.<\/p>\n
Pondok Indah hospital's Yusril said the hospital had yet to
\ncount its losses but estimated they would very big.<\/p>\n
But Djiteng said PLN would not compensate customers.<\/p>\n
"PLN's subscription agreements with its customers stipulate
\nthat compensation to customers is due only if a blackout lasts
\nfor three days and more.<\/p>\n
"The security of power supply can be insured, but the premium
\nshould be added to the power bill. Is the public ready for that?"
\nDjiteng asked. (team)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/power-blackout-planned-sudjana-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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