PLN sends 270 volunteers to repair electricity facilities in Aceh

State owned electricity company PLN has sent at least 270 volunteers to Aceh province to repair electricity facilities seriously damaged by earthquake and massive tidal wave which hit several parts of the province last week, Neraca daily reported on Monday.

PLN said that the volunteers recruited from the company's several branches including the operational units in Jakarta, North Sumatera, West Seumtera and Lampung arrived in Aceh on Sunday.

PLN's director for electricity generation, Ali Herman, said in Jakarta on Monday that most of the volunteers would repair the electricity network facilities in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, which were seriously damaged by the tsunami.

According to Herman, in less damaged areas such as in Lhokseumawe and Bireun, the electricity supply had almost returned to normal. "In Banda Aceh, only 55 percent of the damaged facilities have been repaired because workers face difficulties to carry out their works due to the bad condition of the areas," he added.

Of the 40 segments of the electricity supply facilities in the province, 17 have been repaired. "We hope we can repair at least two transmission facilities within the next two days," he said. (*)