'Power provision funds for poor regions not adequate'

Thu, 03/27/2008 12:07 PM

The government said Wednesday the funds allocated to provide electricity for more than six million people living in disadvantaged regions across Indonesia were not enough to cover most areas.

State Minister for Disadvantaged Regions Lukman Edy said the Rp 1 trillion (US$1.08 billion) allocated this year for lighting in poor regions would cover less than 1 percent of their power needs.

"We need at least 600 megawatts to supply electricity to those regions, but the money will only be enough to provide five megawatts," Lukman said Wednesday after signing a memorandum of understanding with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

The funds, Lukman said, allocated jointly by the two ministries, would be used to build micro hydro power stations, and plants driven by wind and solar energy.

Under the so-called "bright village program", the government provided electricity to around 120 villages in some 47 poor regencies in 2006, and 170 villages in 77 regencies in 2007.

This year, the government has targeted to provide electricity for 450 villages in 250 regencies.

Currently electricity access was only enjoyed by 65 percent of the country's total population, Purnomo said.

Some 80 million people had no access to electricity, he said. -- JP

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