Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (Antara NTT) - The Mining and Energy Service of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) said state-owned electricity company PLN has set its rural electrification target to cover 700 isolated villages in the island province this year.
"PLN already had prepared tender for the project and the process of electrification would be completed in November this year," head of the service Bone Marasina said here on Saturday.
Meanwhile Business Director of PLN for Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara Machnizon Masri said in Jakarta all villages in Flores, a district in NTT, would be fully electrified.
Next year, PLN will again to electrify 500 more villages in the province that hopefully by the end of 2018, all villages in NTT would be electrified, Machnizon said.
Bone Marasina said the 700 villages to be electrified this year are part of the national rural electrification program of 11,300 villages until the end of 2019.
Currently around 2,530 villages in the country have not been electrified, and many other villages have power supply for less than six hours everyday, he said.
In 2016, PLN recorded an increase of 3.1 million subscribers to 64.3 million from 61.2 million in 2015 increasing the electrification ratio from 88.3 percent by December , 2015 to 91.16 percent a year later or exceeding the target of 90.15 percent set for December, 2016.
The remaining villages to be electrified are small in number but they are in most difficult areas in eastern Indonesia, Bone said.
Other areas yet to be electrified before 2019 are small islands in Sumatra, Maluku and Papua. In reaching the target PLN will adopt the concept of optimizing the use of renewable energy available in respective areas such as by the use of gas and solar energy or with micro hydro electric plants.
PLN to Supply Electricity to 700 Isolated Villages in NTT
Bone Marasina
"PLN already had prepared tender for the project and the process of electrification would be completed in November this year," head of the service Bone Marasina said here on Saturday.
