Some power, phones back on in Aceh, as fuel dwindles

Some power, phones back on in Aceh, as fuel dwindles

Leony Aurora and Rendy A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Basic services have slowly begun to return to areas devastated
by the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam on Sunday, but progress has been hampered by difficult
field conditions and a lack of fuel.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro
said state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina was facing great
difficulties in providing fuel as many of its employees,
especially those in distribution, were swept away by the tsunami.

"What is crucial is to keep the diesel stocks full for PLN's
operational needs," he told reporters on Tuesday, referring to
state electricity firm PT PLN.

Pertamina is currently capable of providing enough diesel to
fuel depots to last six to seven days.

"We will supply the fuel from Medan," Purnomo said.

Most electricity and communication lines were cut down by
tidal waves caused by the 9.0-magnitude tremor, which have thus
far killed more than 5,000 people in the war-torn province.

PLN corporate secretary Mulyo Adji said electricity in 30
percent of Banda Aceh had returned to normal, especially to
hospitals and refugee camps. Damages to the city's power
installations alone are estimated at Rp 272 billion (US$29.24
million).

"The power generators are working. However, the distribution
network to houses is severely damaged," Mulyo told The Jakarta
Post. "We also need diesel for the generators," he said, adding
that some 80 percent of its network in Lhokseumawe and Sigli had
been restored.

Meanwhile, state-owned telecommunications firm PT Telkom said
although the central telephone exchange in Banda Aceh was
operational, fixed-line services remained out of order, as the
connecting cables were buried under meters of mud.

Business service director Suryatin Setiawan told the Post that
a Telkom team had been sent from Medan to help clean the debris.

"We will focus on several key areas, such as the governor's
office. Hopefully, the phones there can be used within the week,"
he said.

"Our main problem now is electricity. We are relying on
generators, but they cannot run continuously," Suryatin said.

Flexi, Telkom's fixed wireless service, is operating as usual
and as of Tuesday morning, its cellular service Telkomsel was
restored in Banda Aceh.

Suryatin said Telkom would send dozens of Flexi-compatible
public telephones at its offices and refugee camps.

Meanwhile, the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) said Banda Aceh
had a stock of 4,580 tons of rice. "We have distributed about 50
tons of rice to emergency kitchens," said Bulog president
director Widjanarko Puspoyo.

Rice warehouses in Sigli and Lhokseumawe have a stock of 6,675
tons and 6,000 tons of rice, respectively.

"If there is not enough rice, we will bring in more from
Medan. The roads are already passable, so there will be no
disruptions in distribution," said Widjanarko.