Power blackout 'planned': Sudjana
Power blackout 'planned': Sudjana
JAKARTA (JP): The minister of mines and energy, I.B. Sudjana,
who originally said Sunday's 10-hour blackout was because of
technical trouble, said yesterday the State Electricity Company
(PLN) deliberately cut power so it could do repair work.
"PLN chose to do the repair work on Sunday to avoid major
disruption to economic activities," Sudjana said of the blackout
which hit most of Java and Bali.
PLN detected technical faults in the electronic cards in the
Gandul transmission and load-control in Cinere, South Jakarta,
four days earlier and chose Sunday to fix them, he said.
"Sunday was chosen for the power cut because most factories
and commercial offices usually close on that day," Sudjana was
quoted by Antara as saying after meeting President Soeharto.
But Sudjana, who met PLN's president Djiteng Marsudi earlier
yesterday morning, said nothing about the power cut being
planned.
Instead he reaffirmed Djiteng's Sunday night explanation that
the blackout was because of technical faults.
"It was merely an accident. An electronic card was out of
order," he said after a half-hour meeting with Djiteng and his
staff at PLN's headquarters.
Djiteng said Sudjana warned PLN of the possibility of
sabotage.
"But I assured the minister the blackout was not because of
sabotage," he said.
Djiteng said again yesterday the blackout was because of
malfunctioning electronic cards which protect power transmission
from the Suralaya power station on Java's westernmost coast to
the Gandul transmission and load-control in South Jakarta.
The Suralaya power station supplies 75 percent of Java's and
Bali's power.
Djiteng said PLN's staff checked the electronic cards yearly
as a standard operational procedure.
The electronic card which was broken when it was last examined
several months ago, he said.
Djiteng said his staff did not detect any technical problems
during the last inspection.
Djiteng said PLN would file a claim to the supplier because
the equipment should have been in excellent operational condition
for another seven years.
Sudjana said the electronic cards were made in Switzerland and
had a guaranteed 20-year operational life. PLN had used the cards
for 13 years.
Compensation
The blackout has drawn protest from many people, including
legislators and businesspeople.
Golkar House member Sjaiful MD said PLN should work harder to
improve its management and maintenance.
PLN should thoroughly investigate the cause of the blackout to
prevent future blackouts, he said.
The Indonesian Consumers Foundation said "the power blackout
speaks loudly of PLN's poor management. Apology is not enough.
PLN should compensate its consumers".
Businesses and offices which opened Sunday estimated the
blackout cost them billions of rupiah.
"The blackout stopped our production and caused us at least Rp
300 million (US$127,100) in losses," said the technical and
operational director of Jakarta's drinking water company, Christ
Tuteko.
Blok M plaza's operational manager, Stevanus Ridwan, said the
number of visitors to the plaza was very low.
Ridwan said the plaza's captive power unit could supply only
80 percent of the shopping center's needs.
Pondok Indah hospital's Yusril said the hospital had yet to
count its losses but estimated they would very big.
But Djiteng said PLN would not compensate customers.
"PLN's subscription agreements with its customers stipulate
that compensation to customers is due only if a blackout lasts
for three days and more.
"The security of power supply can be insured, but the premium
should be added to the power bill. Is the public ready for that?"
Djiteng asked. (team)