Power supply in West Sumatra and Riau normal again

The state owned electricity company PLN guarantees that there will be no more blackout in the region as the four existing hydro power plants in the area has been able to operate normally, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Wednesday.

Hendriansyah, the spokesman of the PLN unit for West Sumatra and Riau, said in Padang on Tuesday that the electricity supply had returned to its normal capacity due to the earlier start of the rainy season in the region. ?Beginning today (Tuesday), there will be no more blackout in the two provinces,? he added.

According to him, the electricity company earlier estimated that the power problem could only be settled in September this year. But the earlier return of the rainy season has resulted in the increase in the water level of the river, which is used to operate the four hydro power plants in the region.

The four hydro power plants have combined generating capacity of 367.5 MW, much higher than the normal demand. But PLN appeals the people to continue their power saving program despite the normal operations of the existing power plants.

The PLN unit for West Sumatra and Riau has been forced to reduce the power supply due to the decline in the generating capacity of the four hydro power plants. As the consequence, the customers in the region had to experience a power blackout for some hours a day.(*)