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Lawmaker calls for review of 35,000 MW program
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Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Fadli Zon, speaks to journalists. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak)
H
ouse of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon has called on the government to reevaluate its 35,000 megawatts (MW) electricity program as state-owned PLN currently has unused electricity equivalent to 40 percent of its total production.
“The projects have burdened the PLN financially. And PLN want consumers to shoulder the burden,” said Fadli as reported by tribunnews.com on Monday.
The government has announced its plan to recategorize PLN customers, in an attempt to encourage customers to increase their electricity consumption because, as announced by PLN president director Sofyan Basir, about 40 percent of its electricity was unused.
Read also: PLN has signed contracts for power plants to generate 31,000 MWAfter recategorization, customers with 1,300 volt ampere (VA), 2,200 VA, 3,500 VA and 4,400 VA will be able to access 5,500 VA electricity, while the electric power of customers with 900 VA, both subsidized and non-subsidized, as well as subsidized customers with 450 VA would remain unchanged.
Fadli blamed the government for poor planning in the development of power plants that caused the oversupply of electricity. As a result, he added, PLN had experienced financial problems because of a limited cash flow.
Therefore, the 35,000 MW electricity program should be reviewed so that it would not further burden the PLN and its customers. “The government has burdened the PLN because of the power plant projects. Therefore, it has to reevaluate its 35,000 MW electricity program,” Fadli added. (bbn)
