C. Java power plant may stop operation soon

A 3x60 megawatt hydro-power plant operated by PT Indonesia Power, a unit of state electricity firm PT PLN, in Central Java may stop operation in some 18 days if water level at area dam keeps falling at the current rate, Kompas daily reported on Thursday.

Water level at Mrica power plant dropped to 228.6 meters by July 7, while the plant?s generators can keep running with water level of no less than 226 meters, the daily said.

Mrica power plant, which is located in Banjarnegara regency, had been designed for producing up to 180 megawatts of electricity. But according Teguh Adinugroho, an executive of the company, by Wednesday, water from the dam was enough to produce only 90 megawatts of electricity.

Electricity from Mrica is transmitted to the Java-Bali power grid, while Teguh said consumers who rely on the Java-Bali system would not face blackout. This is because the Mrica plant only functioned to provide extra supply during peak hours between 5 PM and 10 PM, Teguh said.

Eddie said PLN would intensify the operation of its geothermal power plants in anticipation of any disruption in electricity supply. (*)