PLN pledges to eliminate blackouts next year

State-owned electricity company PLN has promised to reduce blackouts starting in 2011 by gradually increasing its capacity from 567.6 megawatts (mw) in 2010 to 2,027.6 MW by 2018.

Ngurah Adnyana, operational director of PLN’s Java and Bali Distribution office, told reporters recently that the additional power capacity would eliminate the power shortages suffered that have plagued the island over the last few years.

The additional power capacity will be supplied by the planned Celukan Bawang power plant in North Bali and Karangasem in East Bali.

“The planned geothermal power plant in Bedugul may be another option,” Adnyana said.

PLN is still expecting the provincial administration to give the green light to the construction of the controversial Bedugul power plant.

“We continue to increase the power capacity to meet the island’s increasing electricity demand,” Adnyana said.

The planned construction of the Bedugul power plant has drawn protests from residents, as well as provincial and regional authorities.

The site for the planned construction is one of the island’s most important water catchment areas, while resident’s believe the power plant will encroach on Bedugul’s protected forest areas, where three big lakes are also located.

Environmentalists have argued that the construction of the power plant would be a hazard to the forested areas and the island’s water resources.

In addition, the Hindu-dominated Bali community strongly believe the area to be one of the island’s most sacred sites.

“We expect the administration to decide soon, otherwise Bali will always be dependent on external sources of power,” Adnyana said.

Bali currently gets a large proportion of it’s electricity from East Java via cables on the sea floor.

Bali’s electricity demand has increased exponentially due to rapid growth in the tourism industry.

In 2009, the island’s energy demand was 498 mw. It increased to 560 mw by the middle of 2010 and it is predicted to more than double to 1,238 mw by 2018.

Adnyana said that in 2010, PLN had added new infrastructure to increase the output capacities at Pesanggaran power plant (46 mw) in Denpasar and in Pemaron (45 mw) in Buleleng regency, North Bali.

“With a total capacity of 656.6 mw, Bali’s electricity infrastructure remains shaky. When we carry out maintenance work, the operation of some power plants must be temporarily halted. This results in regular blackouts in several areas,” he explained.

Dadan Kurniadiputra, General Manager for PLN’s Bali office, said most plants were around 30 years, requiring regular maintenance.

The company currently provides electricity to 770,000 customers. “There are 67,000 potential customers on our waiting list,” Kurniadiputra said.

Adnyana confirmed it would be better if Bali tried to decrease its energy dependency on other islands.