PLN promises no blackouts during Dec. holidays

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Many residents in Jakarta and Tangerang may experience power outages, not only from a shortfall in the power supply from state electricity company PT PLN, but also because of maintenance work and service disruptions.

The Jakarta and Tangerang distribution unit of PT PLN, however, has promised to do its best to prevent any outages from occurring during the Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year holidays.

"We will not do any network maintenance or expansion work around Idul Fitri, from Dec. 4 until Dec. 10, or Christmas and New Year's, from Dec. 24 to Jan. 1," the spokesman for the Jakarta Tangerang distribution unit, Riyo Supriyanto, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

"But we cannot do anything if there are any problems in the generating or transmission networks. All we can do is keep the distribution lines ready."

Riyo said that there were some 2.795 million subscribers with a combined installed capacity of 9,907 megawatts in Jakarta and Tangerang. The registered peak load is 3,500 megawatts.

He also said that the distribution unit had to regularly maintain its 10,840 substations in order for them to stay reliable.

"The substations receive a load of some 80 percent of their capacity so we have to regularly maintain them.

"Maintenance is also important as most of our distribution networks are old. Some are 20 years old," said Riyo.

The distribution unit conducts daily maintenance work in Jakarta and Tangerang between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to keep the distribution of electricity stable.

"We are doing our best to complete maintenance as soon as possible, but we cannot guarantee that we will finish it in the afternoon if serious problems are present.

"In most cases, we can carry out maintenance work without turning off the electricity," said Riyo.

Customers can phone 123 to request information on the location of power outages, he added.

PLN plans to build a new 600-megawatt power plant in North Jakarta to relieve a shortfall of power in the Java-Bali grid.

Meanwhile, a resident of Cikokol subdistrict in South Jakarta complained that there was no power in his area from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m. "Until now, we don't know what really happened as there was no information from PLN."

Separately, Sudaryatmo of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) told the Post that PLN should notify subscribers of any power disruptions.

"PLN should announce in advance which areas are going to be affected by maintenance work so that residents can be prepared.

"To be fair, PLN should adjust its rates for different areas in regard to service," he said.

Sudaryatmo said that certain upscale residential areas were guaranteed an uninterrupted power supply and should pay more than those living on the outskirts of Jakarta.

Residents in areas that experience unannounced power outages should be entitled to cheaper electricity rates, he said.

Sudaryatmo said that PLN should publicly announce if there are any power outages and at the same time declare a specific timeframe when the electricity supply would be restored.