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)