Central Sulawesi sees highest power growth
Friday, February 22 2013 - 03:30 AM WIB
?In Palu along the year 2011, the peak load was only at 65 megawatt (MW), but by the end of 2012 the peak load had reached 83 MW,? state utility PT PLN Construction Director Nasri Sebayang said in Jakarta on Thursday.
During a meeting with Central Sulawesi Governor H. Longki L. Djanggola, who was accompanied by PLN Palu Area Manager Suroso, Nasri said that PLN will continue to increase the electrification rate in Central Sulawesi.
Suroso said that PLN has targeted to increase the electrification rate in Central Sulawesi from 60 percent in 2012 to 70 percent this year.
He said that to realize the target his company will have to provide power connection with 50,000 customers across the province. By December 2012, the households in Central Sulawesi as customers of PLN amounted 424,000 households.
?PLN in Central Sulawesi will increase its customers by about 50,000 later this year,? said Suroso,
PLN in the province has three power service areas, namely PLN Area Palu, PLN Area Toli-toli and PLN Area Luwuk.
The governor?s visit to PLN was to discuss a number of electricity projects in the province, including to ask PLN to increase the electrification rate in Central Sulawesi.
He also urged PLN to use the renewable energy, which is abundant in the province.
?Central Sulawesi has a huge potential of energy, especially renewable ones, such as hydro power plant, geothermal, and gas,? he said.
Nasri Sebayang during the meeting said that PLN has been committed to not only developing the power plants in Central Sulawesi but also integrating the province in an inter-connected power grid.
?PLN is now developing a transmission to channel power from hydro power plant (PLTA) Sulewana to Poso and to Palu. We need the support of the government and the general public, especially on land provision for the power project,? Nasri said.
Editing by Benget Besalicto Tnb.