PLN to halt blackouts for vote count

PEKANBARU, Riau: The local unit of state-owned electricity company PLN in Riau pledged on Monday to temporarily stop the rolling blackouts that have been going on for the past month to ensure the presidential election passed off successfully.

"We will make every effort not to cut supplies for five days after the election so as to ensure a smooth vote count," said Riau PLN spokesman Delvis in Pekanbaru.

However, he asked for the understanding of the public if any technical problems arose, including natural disaster, that could cause power cuts. Riau was covered by smoke from forest and cropland fires last week.

Delvis said that PLN would optimize the use of the Kotopanjang hydropower plant in Kampar regency to increase power supplies.

PLN would be forced to impose even longer rolling blackouts next week if the water level in the dam continued to fall with the result that the hydro-plant turbines could no longer be turned. --JP