Blackouts hit Sulawesi, Sumatra

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 09/07/2006 7:38 AM

Andi Hajramurni and Khairul Saleh, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, Palembang

The current drought affecting the country has meant a reduction in water flows needed to turn power turbines, leading to blackouts in cities in Sulawesi and Sumatra over the last week.

In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, a blackout imposed by state electricity company PT PLN's local chapter led to a violent protest by dozens of students, who pelted the company's offices with tomatoes and chili.

The students kicked off the rally with speeches in front of Alauddin State Islamic University protesting against the company's decision to impose blackouts during peak hours.

The speakers commented that the company should have anticipated the drop in the power supply.

""Power shortages happen almost every year. Why didn't PT PLN make any effort to prevent it?"" said Tenri Wara, the rally's coordinator.

He said the blackouts had had an adverse affect on all the area's residents. Electronic equipment had been damaged, home businesses were not able to run properly and students had been unable to finish their work, he said.

""Where is the responsibility of Arifuddin Nurdin, the general manager of PLN's (local) chapter? The blackout shows his failure to lead the company. We want him to resign and ask the company to give us compensation,"" Tenri said.

Similar blackouts have been imposed in Jambi over the last week.

""It's not clear when the blackouts will end,"" said a spokesman for PLN's Jambi chapter, H. Tambunan, adding that the blackouts were being conducted from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The eight-hour blackout affects nearly 1,000 houses in the city's three areas.

""PLN Jambi depends heavily on the Sumatra interconnection network. Whenever the network experiences any trouble, the electricity supply to Jambi will be affected,"" he said.

PLN Jambi currently is able to provide 120 megawatts per day to the area, falling short of the demand of 125 megawatts, Tambunan said, adding, ""PLN cannot do much here"".

Tambunan attributed the power shortages to the substantial shortfall in the water needed to move the turbines at the Singkarak hydropower plant.

The blackout has left 332 of Jambi's 958 villages in darkness.

In South Sulawesi's capital Palembang the long drought has has not only stopped the area's hydropower plants, but caused forest fires.

The city's rivers, which power the local hydropower plants, are running low. A fire gutted the Bukit Asam Kramasan hydropower plant, making the situation worse.

""There is no other alternative, we have to have a blackout as well,"" said Dodo, the general manager of PT PLN's local chapter.

-- With additional reporting by Jon Afrizal from Jambi.

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