SPKLU Usage in NTB Soars Eightfold as Electric Vehicles Proliferate
The use of Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has experienced a dramatic surge in 2026. State electricity company PLN recorded an eightfold increase in charging activity, in line with the growing popularity of electric vehicles in the region.
PLN NTB General Manager Sri Heny Purwanti stated that the expansion of green infrastructure is being accelerated. By 2026, the number of operational SPKLU across Lombok and Sumbawa islands reached 51 units, up from 38 units in 2025. “The increase over the past year from 2025 to 2026 has been extraordinary,” Heny told reporters after an SPKLU socialisation and education event at the NTB Governor’s Office in Mataram on Friday (12/6/2026).
She also noted that power consumption at NTB’s SPKLU jumped from 4,000 kW to 32,000 kW. According to PLN data, more than 500 electric vehicles are now actively using the public charging facilities in the area. Heny confirmed that the distribution of SPKLU is now evenly spread across all regencies and cities in NTB. To make it easier for EV owners, PLN has integrated all charging locations into the PLN Mobile app, allowing users to find the nearest SPKLU and monitor queue conditions in real time.
“People travelling to East Lombok Regency, for example, can immediately see the SPKLU location and how many vehicles are queuing. The guidance is that detailed,” she explained. Beyond customer convenience, PLN has also deployed advanced artificial intelligence-based monitoring systems to anticipate technical issues. “We have a robotic application to monitor or supervise SPKLU experiencing service disruptions. Any disruption information is relayed through the app, and our team immediately moves to make repairs,” she added.
A single SPKLU typically provides two charging nozzles with four charging types to suit user needs: Standard Charging (2-7 kW) with a charging time of around 8-12 hours, Medium Charging (7-22 kW) taking about 3-5 hours, Fast Charging (22-30 kW) requiring 1-2 hours, and Ultra Fast Charging (>30-60 kW) which can charge in just 15-30 minutes. Seeing the growing potential, PLN is opening wide opportunities for private entities and individuals interested in the SPKLU business through partnership schemes. Investment values vary depending on the machine type chosen. “For an ultra-fast charging machine, it requires around Rp 400 million to Rp 500 million. So it depends on the location you want to build. This is clearly a profitable business going forward,” Heny said. PLN has set an ideal ratio of one SPKLU for every ten electric vehicles (1:10), a ratio considered optimal for maintaining user comfort in public spaces. “Why 1:10? To maintain people’s patience while queuing. This queuing pattern is also automatically managed neatly in the PLN Mobile app,” she concluded.