You Must Know, Residents In 2 Hamlets In Meranti Riau Islands Have Not Been Able To Enjoy The Electricity

Kelapa Hamlet and Cempedak Hamlet in Bokor Village, West Rangsang District (Rangsang Island) Meranti Islands Regency, Riau apparently did not enjoy electricity from PT PLN. So far, residents have relied on energy sources from neighboring hamlets.

"So far, we have only been riding with neighbors, and we have had to buy electric cables. Even that is only for lighting, it cannot be used to watch television and even other electrical equipment," said Usman, a resident of Bokor Village, who was met in the Meranti Islands, Wednesday, February 8, as reported by Antara.

Nearly 1.5 square kilometers of the area in the village of Bokor and there are hundreds of houses without electricity networks. People only rely on wooden poles as a base for power lines. The wood used will not last long.

However, the local village has also submitted a proposal to PT PLN (Persero) Selatpanjang and Meranti Regency Government through the local Secretariat's Economic Section regarding the request for the installation of a power grid, so that the area can enjoy better lighting.

Usman hopes that PLN will respond quickly and be able to provide excellent service to the community because electricity is the main need.

"If this is allowed to drag on, it will have a direct effect on the economy of the community," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Economics Section of the Meranti Islands Secretariat, Herlim, did not deny that there are still a number of areas in West Rangsang District that do not yet have an electricity network. His party is currently also conducting an inventory of which villages are the priority.

"For villages that still have areas that have not been reached by the electricity network, we ask for help so that they can provide data to us and later become proposals to the provinces and the center. Because (about the realization) is their business, later we will coordinate there through the proposal," said Herlim.

Separately, the manager of PT PLN (Persero) ULP Selatpanjang Richard Tambunan when confirmed said that his party had conducted a survey in the field. According to him, the area in question still uses wooden sticks to support electric cables.

"Yes, we have conducted a survey in the field. Currently waiting for the pole from Dumai to fulfill the village proposal, not yet entered the electricity network. However, we cannot confirm when the pole will come, which is certain that in 2022 we have submitted," he said.

He said that for the time being the village could use unused poles from areas that were already electrified by writing to the local government. Then PLN will help install it.