Papua gets more electricity supply

JAYAPURA: State electricity company PLN has added 26 megawatts electricity capacity in Papua to ensure the province’s rotating blackouts cease.

PLN executive chief in Papua and West Papua region Richard Safkaur said the additional supply did not mean blackouts would stop.

“There will be no more rotating blackouts, but if the electricity network needs to be repaired we have to turn off the electricity supply,” he said.

He said the company had rented generators to deal with the elec-tricity crisis but in the future, it would focus on constructing power plants that did not rely on fuel to cut costs.

PLN’s marketing manager for Papua and West Papua, Robert Sitorus, said that Papua was currently building a steam power plant in Halltekamp and a water-powered generator in Genyem, both in Jayapura.

“We hope the two power plants can start operation in 2011 to help cutting cost to buy fuel for diesel power plant,” he said. — JP