Madura's power supply restored
JAKARTA (JP): Madura Island's three million residents can again enjoy the comforts of electricity. Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto officiated on Friday the reconnection of the power supply from Java to Madura after a two- month power blackout which began on Feb. 19.
The minister ordered state-owned electricity firm PLN to ensure that such an accident never reoccurred.
"PLN is expected to find more sophisticated technology to secure the supply," afternoon daily Suara Pembaruan quoted Kuntoro as saying during the brief ceremony in Surabaya, East Java.
PLN returned the power supply after completing repairs on one of the three submarine cables damaged by the anchor of Singapore- registered container ship Kota Indah off Gresik port on Feb. 19.
The blackout paralyzed industry on Madura and brought an abrupt halt to nightlife on the island. Doctors said the blackout would likely increase the island's birth rate.
PLN accused Kota Indah, owned by Singapore's Pacific International Lines, of damaging two underwater power cables by dragging them with its anchor.
The company is preparing a Rp 150 billion lawsuit against the ship's owner. The vessel was seized and its captain detained after the incident.
Repairs on the cable were completed by the London-based British Insulation Cable Company (BICC), which manufactured the cables and installed them in the Madura Strait 13 years ago. The two-week-long project to repair the 80 meters of cable damaged by the anchor cost Rp 55 billion (US$6.3 million).
PLN's lawsuit against the ship's owner is seeking Rp 55 billion in damages to pay BICC for its repair work, Rp 25 billion to reimburse PLN for the reserve cables it used to replace the broken cables and Rp 70 billion to cover the cost incurred by PLN to lease diesel powered generators to provide some electricity to Madura.
Some environmentalists and analysts, however, allege the cables were not properly laid according to international standards. Kuntoro has firmly denied the allegations.
PLN spent some Rp 215 billion (about $130 million based on the 1986 exchange rate) to buy and install the underwater cables in 1986. Madura is completely dependent on Java for its power supply.
Soon after the accident, PLN installed several generators on the island, but they only supplied about 45 megawatts (MW) of power, far below the 70 MW the island demands.
PLN's chief in East Java, Hizban, said last month the company would permanently install the Rp 120 billion generators on the island in September in Gilitimur, Bangkalan regency, as a precaution against similar incidents in the future.
"Some people have demanded compensation (from PLN), but it is better to retract such demands. Residents have suffered financial losses, but we also realize PLN has suffered from losses," prominent ulema Ibnu Kholil said on Thursday as quoted by Antara. (prb)