Partial blackout in N. Sumatra

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Due to the breakdown of a turbine at the Sicanang coal-fired power station in Belawan, North Sumatra, the provincial electricity company (PLN) has been imposing power blackouts on several parts of the province since last week, a PLN spokesman said here on Friday.

Marajohan said that one of turbines at Sicanang incurred damage on July 4, and "this has drastically reduced the power supply by 200 megawatts."

"The demand for power in the province is 320 megawatts a day." He said that blackouts had been imposed on Medan, Binjai, Pematang Siantar, South Tapanuli, Sibolga and Rantau Perapat.

A short-circuit between the rotor and the generator was blamed for the damage to gas turbine 22.

"Supply to consumers has also been drastically reduced," he said, citing as an example the reduction in the supply for a metallurgical plant in Medan Industrial Estate from 23 megawatts per day to only 3 megawatts, and for PT Growth Sumatera from 22 megawatts to only 1 megawatts per day.

Marajohan said that repairs would probably take eight weeks. "At the moment seven electricians and two supervisors from Germany are repairing the gas turbine," he said while declining to reveal the total financial losses caused by the breakdown.

The German-made Siemens turbine has been in operation since January 1994.

Another turbine, GT 11, is currently being overhauled. "This has resulted in a 175 megawatt loss." (42/sur)