Electricity Shortage Happens Because of Complicated Permitting Process

President Joko Widodo delivers a remarks at the inauguration of PLTS Hybrid and PLTMH in Maluku, on Tuesday (5/4)

President Joko Widodo always receives complaints about electricity shortage when he is visiting a city, a regency, or a province, including the hotel where he stays. This issue was conveyed by the President when delivering a remarks at the inauguration of Hybrid Solar Power Plant (PLTS) and Micro Hydro Power Plant (PLTMH) in Maluku, North Maluku, Papua, and West Papua. The inauguration took place at Daruba Village, South Morotai Sub-district, Morotai Island Regency, on Tuesday (5/4) afternoon.

According to the President, the problem occurs due to the very long permitting process. It needs 59 permits to build a power plant.

“It takes 4 years, even 6 years to process the permit. It must be fixed first,” the President said.

Another problem that hampers the construction of power plant is land acquisition. “This is the problem in our electricity sector,” the President said.

At the moment, permitting process for power plant construction has been cut from 59 regulations to 22 regulations and it will be finished in 255 days. However, according to the President, this process is still too long.

“Anything related with permit should be accelerated. Make it easy for our people,” the President told the Governors, Regents, Mayors, including Heads of Sub-district.

The President emphasized that now is the era of competition. Anyone who cannot move fast will be left behind. Long permitting process would not attract investors.

“It should not take years to process a permit. It is the era of Information Technology. Permitting process should finish in hours. If not, we cannot compete with other countries. Our country must win this competition. If it is not fixed, we cannot win,” the President firmly said.

Infrastructure Development

Furthermore, the President said that every region must have a port because this infrastructure can help a region to develop. This year, there are 35 ports, including port development projects, that are ready to be inaugurated. One port has been inaugurated by the President today, that is Wasior Port, and tomorrow there are five ports to be inaugurated.

“It is connectivity. It will unite us,” the President said.

Regarding development acceleration, the President instructed related insitutions to prepare regulations, infrastructures, as well as high quality human resources to face competition.

At the end of his remarks, the President told local people to always look-after the infrastructures that have been built by the Government.

“A lack of maintenance is typical problem of our people. We can build something but cannot maintain it. PLTS Doroba stops running after 3-4 years. This is the result from checking it on the ground by myself,” the President said.

Besides First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo, on that occasion, the President was also accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, and Governor of North Maluku Abdul Ghani Kasuba.(TKP/SLN) (MMB/YM/Naster)