GI Ulee Kareng to start operation next year
Tuesday, August 29 2017 - 05:21 AM WIB
State-owned electricity firm PT PLN said the 275/150 kV GI Ulee Kareng substation in Aceh Besar Regency, Aceh Province, is targeted to start operation next year.
?So far we?re optimistic that GI Ulee Kareng can start operation next year. PLN has targeted for construction of transmission line in Aceh to be completed in March of 2018,? said Jurlian Sitanggang, General Manager of PLN northern part of Sumatra unit.
(An earlier report in this portal, quoting Antara news agency, said that Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf Irwan Yusuf inaugurated on Friday the operation of GI Ulee Kareng. It should have been read as the governor officially inaugurated the construction of the substation project).
Jurlian said that the GI Ulee Kareng project forms part of the Sumatra transmission line project, which stretches from Lampung Province to Aceh, to transmit power from surplus regions to regions suffering from power shortages.
He said that the company has often faced land acquisition as the toughest challenge in construction of electricity infrastructure. The company is working with the local administration to help resolve the land issue.
Jurlian expected the completion of the GI Ulee Kareng will help resolve the power crisis in Aceh. Aceh?s power demand currently stands at 372 MW, while supply reaches around 317 MW.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak