R

esidents in South Kalimantan and neighboring areas have been complaining about the frequent blackouts that have hit the province in the last couple of days, urging state-owned electricity company PT PLN to immediately fix the problem.

On Monday, residents in some parts of South Banjarmasin and Teluk Tiram remained in the dark after power went out across the regions. Similar conditions also hit the neighboring province, Central Kalimantan.

Forum Peduli Banua (FPB) or the Banua Care Forum, staged a rally, urging the central government to settle the electrical problems in South Kalimantan.

Abah Ali, a resident from South Banjarmasin said the blackouts were affecting his business as he had to close his kiosk as there was no light.

“I hope that these [blackouts] only last for a while,” said Abah as quoted by tribunnews.com.

It has been reported that the frequent blackouts have been caused by problems at Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the steam power plant, PLTU Asam-Asam, in Tanah Laut regency, South Kalimantan.

In South Kalimantan, PLN is currently building two more power units at the PLTU Asam-Asam site.

This project will be followed by the development of three more units.

PLN is also establishing two more power units at the PLTU Pulang Pisau in Central Kalimantan.

The deputy speaker of the South Sulawesi Legislative Council, H. Riswandi, said he hoped the development of three or four additional power units at the PLTU Asam-Asam site would soon be completed in a bid to end the spate of blackouts.

He said that South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan could not rely on just one or two power units at the PLTU Asam-Asam.

“If one of the two units has a problem, I believe that PLN can do nothing but to cut power in some areas,” said Riswandi as quoted by Antara news agency, adding that the operation of a third unit would help boost power in the two provinces.

Meanwhile, PLN’s operational director for eastern Indonesia, Vickner Sinaga, said on Monday that he hoped residents in South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan would be patient as the state utility company was trying to end the power problems in the area.

Unlike in Java, the electricity systems in both South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan did not have enough backup power, according to Vickner, who added that he expected the peak load in the area to reach 330 megawatts (MWs) on Monday evening, while PLN could only supply 321 MWs.

Therefore, he added, the firm was aiming to complete work on its two planned coal-fired power plants (PLTUs), each with a capacity to produce around 65 MWs of electricity, by the end of this month.

“We are hoping that by the end of October or early November, the power problems in South Kalimantan will have been fixed. Please be patient,” he told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

Separately, when asked for the government’s response on the issue, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik told the Post in a text message to speak directly with PLN.