PLN to speed up construction of Lampung power plant
Wednesday, March 6 2002 - 03:34 AM WIB
State electricity company PLN has said it will speed up the construction of a 28-megawatt hydropower plant in North Lampung which aims to end power crisis in southern Sumatra.
PLN president director Eddie Widiono said on Tuesday the project will be carried out in two phases with each having the capacity of 14 megawatts.
The first phase project will start in April while the second one will be built in June, Eddie said.
A power crisis hit Lampung and other areas in southern Sumatra after floods inundated the 9-megawatt hydropower plant at the Besai river in North Lampung early last month. The US$100 million plant started operation in March last year.
PLN has relocated from Riau to Lampung a 50-megawatt gas fired power plant to replace the Besai plant.
Eddie also said PLN had so far undertaken blackout in southern Sumatra during overload hours. (*)