Power supply to rise by 4,200 MW by year-end

The government ensures that the country would get additional power suppy of at least 4,200 MW by the end of the year from the first phase of its 10,000 MW power generation acceleration program.

?Despite the program facing various obstacles, we can be sure that by the end of 2011 there will be at least 4,200 MW in additional supply,? Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Jero Wacik told a hearing with the House of Representatives? Commission VII that oversees energy sector Wednesday.

He added that the entire program?s first phase would be completed between 2012 and 2014.

The Ministry?s Secretary General Waryono Karno, which represented Director General for Electricity, said that up until early November, the program?s first phase has generated 3,520 MW of electricity, adding that by end-year, power generation could in fact reach 4,592 MW.

Efforts have been made to address obstacles faced by the program, Waryono said, including sending out inspectors for field inspection and helping state electricity firm PT PLN, which runs the program, to work in accordance with the previously-set schedules.

?Multi sectoral, non-enginering problems have been dealt with following a coordination meeting on August 2, 2011 (which involved Finance Ministry, State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, Transportation Ministry and Forestry Ministry). The resulting recommendations have also been followed up by the PLN,? he said. (romel)