Power supply from hydropower plants decline by 50 percent

The current dry season which has seriously affected many parts of the country causing a sharp decline in the electricity supply from the existing hydropower plants.

The ministry of energy and mineral resources said that the power supply from the hydropower plants had declined by about 50 percent due to the drought.

But state owned electricity company PLN's director for power generation and primary energy Ali Herman Ibrahim said that the drop in the power supply from hydropower plants would only affect southern parts of Sumatra, including Palembang, Jambi, Bengkulu and Lampung.

"Power blackout could not be avoided in several parts of Southern Sumatra," he was quoted as saying. But he said that the decline in the power supply from hydropower plants would not cause a problem in Java and Bali due to additional supply from new power plants including the Coal-fired Cilacap power plant and the combined cycled Cilegon power plant.

Herman said that the shortage of power supply from the hydropower plants would continue until August and September, when the dry season was expected to reach its peak.

To anticipate the shortage, the gas fired Gunung Megang in South Sumatra, which has two units with a capacity of 40 MW each is expected to begin its operation within the next few months, while the coal-fired Tarahan plant in Lampung which has two units each with 100 MW will be operated next year, Herman said. (godang)