Sorong needs more electricity

SORONG, Irian Jaya: Only 31 out of 266 villages in Sorong regency, Irian Jaya, have been provided with electricity, the head of the local state-owned electricity company (PLN) said here yesterday.

The lack of money has been the main obstacle for the electricity company in order to expand its services to other villages, said local PLN office head Suparyono.

According to him, PLN planned to build four new networks at four more villages in the districts of Teminabuan and Ayamaru this fiscal year (1997/98), Antara reported.

Rapid development of the Sorong regency had drastically increased power demand every year, he said, quoting recent records that power demand increased 15 percent annually.

"To date, the capacity of electricity in Sorong is 15,457 kilowatts, while the maximum use of electricity is 9,598 kilowatts," Suparyono said. (sur)