PLN struggling to maintain power supply after Porong explosion
Thursday, November 23 2006 - 12:53 PM WIB
The incident on Wednesday evening that killed at least 8 people has forced state owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina to shut down its East Java Gas Pipeline that transmits natural gas from offshore fields to industrial users of the province.
The pipeline transmits gas among others to PLN?s Gresik power plant complex. PLN?s subsidiary Pembangkit Jawa Bali (PJB) that operates the Gresik power complex says in its website that the complex has 12 power units with a total capacity of 2280 Megawatt (MW), including five gas power units with a total capacity of 81.4 MW and three combined cycle power units with a total capacity of 1,578.78 MW.
Mulyo Adji, head of PLN?s load distribution and transmission center, said that the Porong incident occurred at the time when PLN was facing problems in operating several power plants across Java.
For instance, he said, the company?s hydropower plants in Java that could not operate at full capacity at present due to the lack of water supplies as the result of the long draught. Furthermore, there are problems at the 600-MW Unit 8 of the Paiton power plant in East Java and the 600-MW Unit 2 of the Tanjung Jati B power plant in Central Java. Besides, the 740-MW Cilegon combined cycle power plant in Banten is also suffering gas deficit.
He said PLN would use oil to resume the operation of the Gresik combined cycle power plant.
?While waiting for oil supply from Pertamina to the power plant, we anticipate a deficit on the Java-Bali power grid this evening. We thus call on the public to cut down their power consumption in order to avoid blackout risk,? Mulyo said.
Meanwhile, Pertamina assured on Thursday that it would supply enough fuel for any companies affected by the Porong incident, including for PLN. Many industrial companies use gas distributed by state owned gas distribution and transmission company PT PGN in their operation. As a result of the Porong incident, Australian firm Santos (Madura Offshore) Pty Ltd has suspended its gas supplies to PGN. As a result, industrial companies in East Java are forced to switch on their diesel captive powers to continue operation.
?We are ready to help those affected by the incident, including industrial companies there. We shall come to visit them one by one,? Pertamina?s fuel division head Djaelani said.
The Porong incident occurred not far from the Banjar Panji well owned by PT Lapindo Brantas Indonesia, which has been gushing mudflow for about seven months, causing damage on many roads, buildings and houses and forcing more than 10,000 people to relocate. (Godang)