Electricity supply in Java and Bali in critical situation

State-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has warned that the electricity system in Java and Bali has been in a critical situation due to continued increase in the electricity usage in recent months, Media Indonesia reported on Wednesday.

According to PLN, the minimal power reserves have dropped to an average of 70 MW from above 200 MW due to the increase in the power demand from industrial sector in recent months.

Many industrial companies have stopped the operation of their in-house power plants or generators and turned to PLN's power system for their operational needs due to the increase in the price of diesel oil.

As a consequence the power usage in the Java and Bali power system jumped to as high as 14,525 MW during peak hours, almost equal to the total supply capacity of 14,595 MW.

PLN said that the existing power plants have the capacity to supply 18,398 MW but many of the power plants could not be fully operated due to damages or technical problems. (*)