Free Electricity Assistance Called The Governor Of Kaltara Forms Of Energy Justice

TANJUNG SELOR - Governor of North Kalimantan (Kaltara), Zainal A Paliwang, symbolically provided Electricity New Installation Assistance (BPBL) from the Kaltara Provincial Government to the residential unit community (SP) 5 Salimbatu Village, Bulungan.

According to him, this assistance is a form of fulfilling the government's obligations in providing electricity in the context of equitable electricity throughout Indonesia. In addition, it is also a form of the presence of the state through access to energy.

He said the installation of free household electricity installations was one of the efforts to equalize electricity access (electrification ratio) and realize fair energy throughout Kaltara.

"On behalf of the Provincial Government of Kaltara, I am grateful to have the opportunity to symbolically hand over the new install of free housing electricity today. This free new install of electricity is one of the efforts made by the provincial government of North Kalimantan in meeting the needs of electrical energy which has become a basic need for the entire community, including poor households in the Kaltara Province," said Zainal, Thursday, January 4.

He realized that in the Kaltara region there are still many poor households who do not yet have a house installation connection with electricity sources from PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) (Persero).

"Seeing this condition since 2020, the North Kalimantan Provincial Government has programmed the installation and connection of electrical installations for households to not be able to afford it for free. In order to provide hope to families who want to enjoy electricity but are unable to pay for new tidal costs," he said.

In addition, the government also continues to increase the electrification ratio by building solar power plants (PLTS) for villages that have not been reached by the electricity grid.

By installing energy-efficient solar lights (LTSHE) for 3T Regions and continuing to improve the construction of distribution networks.

"The new installation assistance program for free houses has been running for the last 4 years. In 2020 the Provincial Government allocated 85 families (Family Cards) who received assistance, in 2021 there were 150 families, in 2022 there were 50 families, and in 2023 we handed over symbolically today as many as 300 families who received assistance," said Zainal.

With details, among others, in Tarakan City as many as 35 houses, Bulungan Regency as many as 75 houses, Nunukan Regency as many as 70 houses, Malinau Regency as many as 60 houses and Tana Tidung Regency as many as 60 houses.

The Governor of Kaltara explained that the assistance for the new installation of free electricity was in the form of connecting PLN's electric power and installing domestic installations for underprivileged communities.

This is provided based on Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS), data on the Monitoring of the Acceleration of the Elimination of Extreme Poverty (P3KE) and Integrated Database (BDT) data of PT. PLN (Persero).

The governor hopes that the purpose of providing assistance for the new installation of electricity for free houses is the achievement of an increase in the electrification ratio in Kaltara Province. As well as the construction of a connection between family homes that cannot be achieved properly and appropriately.

"So that we can help improve the standard of living, welfare and productivity of poor families who receive home connection assistance," he explained.

In addition, Governor Zainal appealed to the public to use electricity wisely.

"To beneficiaries, to be able to make the best use of the assistance by using electricity wisely, efficiently and safely," he concluded.