PLN extends network to Thousand Islands

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Some residences of Thousand Islands regency will soon enjoy a spark of light at a cheaper price, as state-owned electricity company PLN will extend its service there through an undersea network next month.

"The electricity network, built by PLN, will start working by mid-January," Regent Djoko Ramadhan told a press conference Friday.

He said residents had been using fuel-powered generators to light their houses and consequently the regency administration had to allocate at least Rp 45 billion (US$4.78 million) yearly for generator maintenance and fuel subsidy.

"That spending covers only electricity needs for houses, not including resorts," he said.

"The cost for the infrastructure development of the planned electricity network is quite cheap, as we need only Rp 240 billion in investment for a system that will last 30 years."

Djoko said the network would also provide more convenience to residences as it would distribute electricity "with constant voltage over 24 hours".

In 2007, Thousand Islands regency had a population of 19,835 people residing on 11 of a total 342 islands.

Djoko said in the first phase of development three to four megawatts (MW) of electricity would be distributed from PLN's powerhouse at Tanjung Pasir in Tangerang, Banten, to residences of South Thousand Islands district.

Islands in the network include Untung Jawa Island, Pari Islands, Lancang Islands, Payung Islands and Tidung Islands, he said.

He said the administration, in cooperation with PLN, would expand the undersea network north in 2008 to cover North Thousand Islands district.

Djoko said the administration was also planning to raise power supply in the regency to more than 30 MW by building a combined-cycle power plant in Damar Island that would be able to generate up to 450 MW in 2009.

The project for the future power plant, he said, would involve investors PLN and city-owned property company PT Jakarta Propertindo.

"We have finished the feasibility studies for the project and are stepping forward to the next level: carrying out the environmental impact analysis," said Djoko.

Huge power capacity, he said, would be necessary to meet residential electricity demand and to help spur a tourism sector that had been sluggish due to a number of problems, including electricity shortages.

"With such an adequate supply, resorts will be back on their feet again and the tourism sector will recover," said Djoko.

The capacity of the future power plant will also be used for operations of a planned airport.

The regency administration is constructing an airport on Panjang Island -- two to three kilometers away from the regency's resort islands.

The Rp 140 billion airport project, which is 60 percent complete, is expected to be operational in 2009.

"We will install the airport's communication system next year and it will be integrated with that of Soekarno-Hatta International airport," said Djoko.