Beberung river water can be used as source of energy for Lombok

Water flowing in Beberung river in Bayan subdistrict, West Lombok district, West Nusa Tenggara province, could be used as a source of energy to meet increasing energy demand in the area, according to the head of electricity and energy development office at the West Nusa Tenggara administration, Didik Agus Winarno.

Didik told Kompas that the Beberung river in Mount Rinjadi could generate power of up to 33 megawatt, but its realization was still constrained by lack of technological advancement to deal with corrosion created by boron.

According to a study conducted by JICA of Japan and related institutions in 1986, water in Beberung river contains a high level of boron, that could cause corrosion.

Nevertheless, Didik said boron could be neutralized, but so far there was no investors interested in building a power plant using water from Beberung river as its source of energy.

On the other hand, demand for electricity on tourist resort Lombok island continued to increase. Thus far, electricity demands in Lombok have been supplied from diesel oil-powered power plants belonging to state electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara.

PLN has so far been suffering losses from its operation in Lombok because 96 percent of its electricity goes to household customers, many of them are subsidized.

Didik said that electricity demands in Lombok fluctuated from 20 megawatt during daytime to 60 megawatt at night. It means there is idle electricity of 60 megawatt during daytime.

Because of its limited capacity, PLN has to conduct alternate blackouts in Lombok, especially at nighttime.

Actually, Didik said Lombok has another source of energy, namely geothermal energy in the villages of Sambella and Sembalun, in East Lombok. Both geothermal sources could generate electricity of up to 73 megawatt. (*)