Central Java orders power conservation measures

Suherdjoko and Rizal Harahap ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Semarang, Pekanbaru   |  Fri, 07/11/2008 10:12 AM  |  The Archipelago

Central Java Governor Ali Mufiz on Thursday ordered power-saving measures at all government institutions in the province in response to frequent blackouts.

The governor also asked residents to conserve power, including through the use of energy saving lamps.

"This is important to help resolve the electricity crisis, which leads to frequent blackouts," he said, adding that a written instruction would soon be sent to government institutions.

These steps come following a request from officials at the local office of state-owned electricity company PT PLN, asking the governor to instruct all regents and mayors to implement power-saving measures.

Frequent blackouts have affected Central Java and Yogyakarta over the last two months.

Ari Agus Salim, a PLN general manager, said that during peak usage periods in the province, electricity demand reached 2,590 megawatts, while PLN Central Java could only supply 1,700 to 1,800 MW.

The remaining power, he said, came from East and West Java.

"Electricity production in Central Java has dropped significantly because power generation has been hindered by delays in the supply of fuel," he said.

"In Cilacap, for example, the power station there can only produce 300 megawatts, far below its capacity of 600 megawatts, due to a shortage of coal supplies, while the plant at Tambaklorok is short of diesel oil supplies."

Governor Ali is scheduled to hold meeting with businesspeople, PLN officials and representatives of government institutions in Surakarta next week to find a solution to the electricity crisis.

In Pekanbaru, Riau, rotating blackouts have affected the provision of public services.

One of the government offices affected by the blackouts is the immigration office in Pekanbaru.

Officials must work late to complete their work, and passport applicants must wait longer for their documents to be issued.

Fatimah, a resident of the Pandau housing complex in Pekanbaru, said she had to make several trips to the immigration office to process passports for her two sons.

"My sons have been waiting their turn to take their photos, but it has been postponed several times because the electricity keeps going out," she said Thursday.

She said the family might have to postpone a planned trip to Malaysia because she was unsure when her sons would receive their passports.

Head of the Pekanbaru Immigration Office, Yuke Permana, said it was taking about a week longer than usual to issue passports because the blackouts meant the office was only able to process about 100 passports a day, compared to 150 when the power supply was not interrupted.

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