Banten expands electricity to regions

Multa Fidrus , The Jakarta Post , Banten Fri, 03/28/2008 City

The Banten administration has allocated Rp 21.5 billion (US$2.3 million) to provide power to 14,000 new families living in Lebak, Serang and Pandeglang regencies and Cilegon municipality this year, a councillor says.

A councillor of the Provincial Council's commission III overseeing the environment and energy, Thoni Fathoni Mukson, said the fund would finance the construction of power grid networks as well as installing electrics in homes across the regions.

"The commission and the Banten Mining and Energy Agency has made an agreement with (state-owned power provider) PLN to supply 47,000 kilowatts per hour for the new connections," he said Thursday.

The administration recorded about 319,244 families in Lebak, Serang and Pandeglang regencies and Cilegon municipality had no access to electricity last year.

Lebak regency had the lowest access to power rate with 43 percent of 276,804 families confined to the dark at night.

Pandeglang regency was the next lowest with 40.5 percent of 242,704 families living without electricity, while 24.5 percent of 406,592 families were denied power in Serang regency.

"Even in an industrial city like Cilegon, 2,000 out 76,351 families are still living without electricity," he said.

Thoni said if the program was successful this year the administration would link power to another 24,000 families next year.

However, he said there were still problems facing the program including a lack of funds allocated to attain permits to plant electricity poles, and poor road access to several isolated areas.

Nana Suryana, head of the electricity power department at the agency said PLN was ready to provide electricity meters for all residents.

"We are ready and therefore we ask the administration to settle the payment of collateral fees for electricity connections so that we can soon install the devices," he said.