President Jokowi Inaugurates 6 Power Plants in Sumatera
President Jokowi visits a power plant construction project site in Bangka Belitung Province on Wednesday (1 June)
President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Wednesday (1/6) led a groundbreaking ceremony of six mobile power plants in Sumatera.
Those six power plants are centered at Air Anyir steam-fuelled power plant (PLTU) located in Merwang Subdistrict, Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Province.
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, President Jokowi said that when he visited the province last year, he received complaints from the people about blackouts that often hit the province.
Almost everyone told me that they often suffer from blackouts. So I instructed Minister of State-owned Enterprises and President Director of PLN (state-owned electricity company) to prioritize Bangka Belitung Province, the President said.
Building a power plant that uses coal takes 4 to 5 years but building a mobile power plant that uses gas can be finished in 6 months, the President said.
Power plants that have been built can generate 30 megawatts (MW) and by the end of September there will be an additional supply of 25 MW, he added.
It means that at the end of this year, 50 to 60 MW of electricity are provided for Bangka Belitung. Its a big additional supply, President Jokowi said, adding that other power plants are being built in the province with the capacity of around 100 MW and are expected to be finished within 3 years.
At least 50 MW is already available in Bangka Belitung Province. I think it is sufficient because industries, hotels, and all the people here need electricity so weve begun anticipating it now. Next time I come back here, I hope there will be no more blackouts. I dont want it to happen. Everything has to be anticipated, the President added.
President Jokowi said that the target of 35,000 MW electricity program in all regions in Indonesia must be achieved; otherwise other province will experience blackouts such as in Bangka Belitung and in other provinces.
I am sure that the target will be achieved because we have planned all this well and according to the report that I received at the end of last year, there was already a public–private partnership (PPP) to produce 17,300 MW. Another power plant with the capacity of 8,000 MW will begin the groundbreaking ceremony. The progress is clear, the President said.
Everything has to be finished because we want to show that we really want to work hard to solve problems faced by the people at the provincial, regency, and city levels, President Jokowi said.
Once a groundbreaking of a power plant construction project is done, it must be followed up with the implementation on the ground, President Jokowi said.
I assure that I will follow the process and I will check the implementation on the ground. The people also have to monitor it, President Jokowi said.
For the record, the six power plants inaugurated by President Jokowi are expected to solve electricity shortage in Sumatera and are parts of the of 35,000 MW electricity program.
In the meantime, asked about the plan to build a nuclear power plant in Bangka Belitung, President Jokowi said that it is still being weighed because there are still other sources energy for power plants.
Joining the President at the inauguration ceremony were First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, President Director of State-owned Electricity Company (PT. PLN) Sofyan Basir, and Governor of Bangka Belitung Rustam Effendi. (RAH/EN)
