Government Set To Reach Electrification Target In 2019

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The government is set to reach its electrification ratio target of more than 96 percent in 2019, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan has said.

For that purpose the government has encouraged development of power plants off grid with a capacity of less than 50 megawatts, without having to be included in the General Plan for Electric Power Procurement (RUPTL), Jonan said in Mataram, Lombok, last weekend.

There are still 2,500 more villages not yet having electricity  in the country , he said when inaugurating the groundbreaking for seven power generating projects  in West and East Nusa Tenggara.

"The government is committed to increase the ratio of village electrification now reaching 93 percent. In 2019, the ratio would be raise to at least 96 percent, hopefully 99 percent. An increase almost  3 percentage points a year is extraordinary," he said.

The electrification target of 92.75 percent for 2017 is already overshot showing the government's determination to bring modernity to all part of the country, including 2,500 villages, not yet covered by the state owned electricity company PLN.

In a bid to speed up implementation of its program, the Ministry has issued a ministerial regulation No. 38 in 2016 on acceleration of electrification in backward regions, isolated are and small outer islands by building small capacity power plants.

The Ministerial Regulation allows regional administrations to give opportunity for companies to build integrated small capacity  power generating plant.

The rural electrification program will utilize mainly renewable energy sources to generate power.

Jonan said the energy and mineral resources ministry has given opportunity to PLN  and other companies to build power plant with a capacity of less than 50 MW  in the off grid system  with out being included in RUPTL. (WDY)