"Currently, the electrification ratio reaches 71 percent of all the families in Indonesia. The national electrification ratio at the end of 2012 is targeted to reach 75 percent," said the company`s president director, Nur Pamudji, at the inauguration of the operation of the expanded Unit 4 of the Tanjung Jati B thermal pwoer plant here Monday.
He said he was optimistic that by the end of 2014 the electrification ratio would be more than 90 percent with the support of the government`s budget, especially from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
During the last two years the government had raised the budget several times to support national electrification.
In 2010 the budget to increase the electrification ratio reached Rp2.5 trillion and within two years it increased to Rp9 trillion.
Nur Pamudji expressed appreciation to Central Java for having an electrification ratio of 76.60 percent of the total number of households or higher than the national electrification ratio which only reached 71 percent.
To increase the electrification ratio the company was confronted with obstacles in the provision of electricity network, particularly in Central Java he said.
On the issue, the governor of Central Java Bibit Waluyo provided a way out to coordinate the task force units related so PT PLN could implement the electricity network provision.
Governor Bibit Waluyo asserted that the electrification ratio in Central Java has vastly improved compared to the national level which is current has reached to 76.60 percent.
"To realize the electrification ratio higher than the national target is tough but it is a challenge for all the parties to work hard," he said.
According to governor in Central Java there is still 4,060 village of the 4,460 which until now have not enjoyed the electricity.
For a while the villages which have not yet the electricity are aided by empowering the local potential such as hydropower to meet the needs of 25 to 150 families.
"If the area does not have enough water potentials to drive turbines to generate electricity then it is attempted to use solar power," Bibit explained.
Currently in Central Java region there are thousands of families who have enjoyed electricity by using solar energy although it is limited. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
