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Palembang's LRT electricity bill in arrears for six months, leading to blackouts
The complicated bureaucracy regarding the asset handover caused the delay in payment.
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Passengers walk to the LRT station in Jakabaring, Palembang, South Sumatra, on Sunday, after an LRT train broke down on its way to the station. (Antara/Mushaful Imam)
T
he ombudsman's South Sumatra office has expressed regret about the blackouts on the streets along the LRT route for several nights in Palembang because the LRT's electricity bill was in arrears, highlighting it had caused public disruption.
The state-owned electricity company’s local branch PT PLN WS2JB imposed a blackout policy at the beginning of July because the electricity bills amounting to Rp 189 million (US$13,420) for 2,300 street lamps along the route had been in arrears for six months.
Although some spots were illuminated as of Wednesday, the ombudsman's South Sumatra office head, M. Adrian Agustiansyah, urged the related parties to settle the problem soon.
He said the blackout did not only bother street users but also LRT passengers as the public transportation facility had started operating at night. “This concerns public services,” Adrian said on Thursday.
Palembang Housing and Residential Area Agency head Erwani Matdehi denied that the bill was his office’s responsibility. “The LRT has not handed the assets to us, so it’s not our responsibility to pay for street lighting bills along the LRT's route,” Erwani said.
Erwani claimed that until the LRT officially handed over the assets to the city administration, the agency would not pay the bills. He also said the city had the money prepared for when the assets were handed over.
He underlined that the agency would not accept the assets should there be damage during construction, in which the contractor would have to disassemble the street lamps.
