The West Sumatra chapter of state-owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has guaranteed that it will not impose any blackouts on the two cities badly affected by powerful earthquakes in the province, at least until the end of the year.
The firm's spokesman Asril Khalis said his office would exempt Padang and Padangpariaman from the blackouts to avoid further trauma during the after-quake recovery process.
“We are following instructions from the governor [now Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi] not to impose any blackouts, to save the quake victims any further trauma. For instance, there are many residents who are still living in temporary camps,” Asril said Thursday.
He added that his office was forced to continue conducting blackouts in other cities despite the decreasing number of consumers and the increasing supply of water for their three power plants in the wake of the rainy season.
“But we will continue conducting blackouts up to three times a day elsewhere, although most of our consumers live in Padang [which will be blackout-free],” he said.
He added that daily consumption had decreased by 20 megawatts, thereby reducing the deficit to 40 megawatts per day, after many homes and buildings had been damaged in the earthquake.
Because of the earthquake, in which more than 1000 people were killed, PLN has suffered Rp 170 billion (US$ 17 million) in losses.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|