Power blackout hits Central Sulawesi due to coal shortage

A partial power blackout has hit Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi since the past two days due to the halt in the operation of two coal-fired power plants in the province, Kontan reported on Tuesday.

Yustono, the head of state-owned electricity company PLN office in Palu, said Monday that the company had been forced to stop the operation of the province?s two-coal fired power plants due to the shortage of fuel stocks.

The stoppage of the two power plants, which have a capacity of 24 megawatt (MW) and 30 MW, respectively, has caused the power supply in the province to suffer a big deficit.

?We now rely on diesel power generators to provide the power supply. We hope the people will understand the problem,? he said.

He said that the coal shipment was now on the way and was expected to arrive by the end of this week. It means that the power blackout will continue within the next few days.

He did not say the reason behind the delay in the coal supply but reports said that the fall in the water level of Barito River in Kalimantan has disrupted coal supply from East and Central Kalimantan, the country?s major coal producers. (*)