Nias faced an electricity supply problem in June 2016. This is an effort to overcome it."
Gunungsitoli, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Nias 70-kV high-voltage power line (SUTT) in Teluk Dalam Idanoi, Nias, North Sumatra, on Friday (19/8).

"Nias faced an electricity supply problem in June 2016. This is an effort to overcome it," the president said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The construction of the 110 kilometer (km) high-voltage power lines in Nias Island is important for the electricity system to enhance power supply to customers on the island.

On the occasion, Jokowi was accompanied by State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, North Sumatra Governor Tengku Erry Nuradi and President Director of state-owned electricity PLN, Sofyan Basir.

The construction of the SUTT project is expected to be completed in April 2017. It will consist of 393 towers. Land clearance for 172 towers has been achieved.

The president also visited the Nias 1x25 MW mobile power plant (MPP) for which the groundbreaking ceremony was carried out by the president on June 1.

The progress in the development of the MPP has reached 59 percent and it is expected to become operational by the end of October 2016. Besides supplying electricity, the MPP will also reduce the use of diesel-powered electricity plants and thus help cut cost of power production.

PLN President Director Sofyan Basir explained that the electricity system in Nias now is now supported by diesel-powered electricity plants of Sitoli and Teluk Dalam with a designed capacity of 33.15 MW. The peak burden in the Nias system has reached 24.02 MW.

He informed that all of the electricity infrastructure development is part of the 35 thousand megawatt program being implemented to expand the country's electrification ratio as planned in President Jokowi's Nawacita or nine priority development programs.

"Now, PLN is concentrating on achieving the 35 thousand MW target. Of course, all this is happening due to the support of the government and stakeholders," noted Sofyan Basir.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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