Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission VII member, Diah Nurwitasari, called on the government to speed up gas network development as a precautionary measure against the rise in the price of non-subsidized LPG.

In a release on Friday, Nurwitasari noted that the increase in the price of non-subsidized LPG had caused a shift in the people's consumption patterns.

"Due to a surge in the non-subsidized LPG price, the people have turned to using subsidized LPG. This must be observed in detail by the government," she stressed.

Currently, there has been a shift in the economic condition of the middle class during the pandemic that had caused them to face major difficulties.

To this end, in order to meet the rising gas energy demand, Nurwitasari has encouraged to accelerate gas network development across regions.

"Indonesia's natural gas potential is very huge. This must be utilized as best as possible by the government. Hence, it needs to be supported by a progressive policy," Nurwitasari noted.

Concerning the gas network, state-owned gas company PT PGN Tbk stated that the enterprise has the capability to support the energy transition process through the availability of gas supply and adequate infrastructure.

This aligns with the government's policy to improve clean energy utilization toward zero emissions by 2060.

PGN President Director M. Haryo Yunianto stated that in the short term, the company will continue to strengthen infrastructure development and increase the natural gas supply source.

This move is strategic, considering the possibility that the demand for natural gas will increase in future. One of the aspects pertains to the policy to increase the share of renewables to 23 percent of the national energy mix by 2025.

PGN has integrated infrastructures in the northern and central part of Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, and East Java to improve the reliability and flexibility of gas distribution to all market segments, he stated.

This is done as part of the process of the business strengthening plan, he explained.

"It will be PGN's main priority to ensure that infrastructure development becomes more integrated," he elaborated.
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Translator: M Razi Rahman, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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