PLN allocates Rp 2 billion for artificial rain

State owned electricity company PLN is ready to make an artificial rain to cope with the possible shortage in the water supply for the company’s several hydropower plants in Java.

PLN’s director for power generation and prime energy Ali Herman Ibrahim said in Jakarta on Monday that PLN had allocated about Rp 2 billion in this year’s budget to make the artificial rain.

He, however, said that due to its high costs, the artificial rain would be only made if the dry season continued in the next few months. “The artificial rain is not yet needed because the water supply for the hydropower plants is still sufficient,” he added.

According to him, the artificial rain should be ideally made when the level of the water in the water dam has dropped by 50 percent. “At present, the water supply is still sufficient for the operation of the power plants,” he said. (godang)