A floating power plant with a capacity of 125 megawatts will head to the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu to provide electricity following last week’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake and tsunami.

“We will pull the marine vessel power plant [MVPP] from Kupang [in East Nusa Tenggara], in addition to the distribution of generator sets [gensets],” said State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Rini Soemarno in Palu on Monday, as quoted by news agency Antara.

Rini said she had visited Central Sulawesi to make sure fuel and electricity supplies in Palu and the surrounding areas were adequate following the disaster.

The minister said 30 low-capacity gensets had arrived in Palu to be distributed to certain points hit by the disaster.

Rini said the MVPP was expected to provide adequate electricity for one or two months.

She underlined the importance of supplying more electricity to coastal areas, where the electricity infrastructure was heavily damaged by the tsunami.

“State-owned electricity company PLN and other SOEs will soon restore the infrastructure. While the work is ongoing, we will find ways to overcome the electricity supply shortage,” said the minister, who visited several gas stations in Palu.

She said state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina had distributed additional supplies of 4,000 liters of diesel and 4,000 liters of Pertalite-branded gasoline.

“We will supply more fuel every day,” she added. (bbn)