Dilapidated plant generators blamed for repeated power blackouts in Bali

Wasti Atmodjo , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Mon, 03/15/2010 12:27 PM | Bali

Old and dilapidated generators in power plants are to blame for recurrent blackouts in Bali despite the completion of routine maintenance in Gilimanuk gas-powered electricity power plant, an official says. The Bali branch of state electricity company PT PLN attributed decreasing power supply to technical disturbance in Gilimanuk power plant and faulty underwater transmission cables that supply power from Java's power plants to Bali. Branch spokesperson Agung Mastika said disturbance also frequently occured in generators in Pesanggaran diesel-powered power plant in Denpasar and Pemaron gas-powered power plant in Buleleng. "All the machines are very old, they were made in the 1970s. Although we have conducted routine maintenance, technical errors still occur, thus decreasing the power supply, and the only solution is to cut the power temporarily," he said, adding the older the machine was, the more fuel would be needed.

"A new car only needs a liter of gasoline to go 10 kilometers, while an old car needs several more liters to go through the same distance." To supply electricity in Bali, PLN operates three power plants: Pesanggaran, Pemaron and Gilimanuk. The Pesanggaran plant operates 15 generators with a total capacity of 182 MW, while the Pemaron plant has two machines with a capacity of 80 MW. The Gilimanuk plant in Jembrana only operates one machine with 130 MW. With an additional 200 MW supplied from Java, the total power supply in Bali reaches 582 MW. Mastika said the electricity usage in Bali was increasing, as indicated by the rising peak load, which has reached 515 MW.

"The old machines should be overhauled, in order to increase its capacity and reduce the risk of rotational blackouts. However, it needs a lot of money and it cannot be completed in short time." PLN urged the provincial administration to create alternative energy sources, including by accelerating the ongoing Bali Crossing Transmission project, which could provide between 1,600 and 2,000 MW of power supply. Mastika said that teams from his company and from the provincial administration have discussed the project and check the route. The project has been a subject of controversy since it is feared that it will disturb the ecosystem in the West Bali National Park in Jembrana. Putu Armaya, head of Consumer Protection Foundation in Bali, said that the province should be self-reliance in providing energy.

"We cannot continue to rely on the existing supply. If the Bedugul project has been opposed and the progress of Bali Crossing project remains sluggish, then the provincial administration should find other solutions.".......Maybe back to earlier days when times were easygoing and mums still giving birth to a dozen of bayi"s due to long nights, while using the famous never getting out of order Lampu Templek using minyak kletik? Or the bright shining and sparkling Stormkings using Minyak Tanah?