Aceh seeking to utilize excess power capacity from Arun turbine

Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh has recently sent a letter to Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro to obtain approval to utilize the excess capacity of the power turbine facility owned by PT Arun NGL, the local Serambi Indonesia daily reported.

The paper said that the move was aimed at overcoming power black out problem in the eastern coast of Aceh including North Aceh, Bireuen and part of Central Aceh following the recent damage in the East Aceh electricity tower.

The areas have suffered blackout during the past two weeks.

The Aceh provincial administration has appointed private firm PT Teknodaya Reka Utama to realize the plan to connect power supply from the Arun turbine to the facility of the state-owned power firm PLN.

Teknodaya president Iskandar Ali said that both Arun and Exxon Mobil which utilizes the power from the turbine, had ?basically agreed? to allow Aceh to use the 40 percent excess power capacity, but they said that the provincial administration must first seek the approval of Purnomo?s office in Jakarta.(*)