Riau Islands Governor Calls Electrification Ratio Up 98.18 Percent Until 2024

JAKARTA - Riau Islands Governor (Kepri) Ansar Ahmad said the electrification ratio or number of households that have been electrified in the area has continued to increase from 2020 to 2024.

Ansar conveyed that the electrification ratio will start at 93.72 percent in 2020, then increase to 94.50 percent in 2021, then 96.32 percent in 2022, then 97.99 in 2023, and 98.18 percent in 2024.

"Until early 2025, the electrification ratio in Riau Islands was 98.18 percent, meaning that only about 1.81 percent of households in this province had not yet been electrified," said Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad quoting Antara.

Ansar said that this year as many as 155 islands in Riau Islands have been electrified by PLN, 31 electrified islands from government assistance (non-PLN).

The electricity distribution acceleration program through the Riau Islands Terang Program has cut the number of inhabited islands that have not been electrified.

In 2025, the remaining 38 inhabited islands of 118 inhabited islands will not have electricity in 2020.

"There is one village that has not been electrified, namely Lalang Village ( Lingga Regency) which is the result of regional expansion," said Ansar.

He mentioned that this year there is no longer an isolated PLN system, namely a power generation system that stands alone or is not connected to the main PLN electricity network that operates at hours.

Currently in Riau Islands, there are 110 PLN isolated systems. A total of 41 systems operate for 24 hours, and 69 systems operate for 14 hours.

"Currently there are only three sub-district capitals whose electricity operates for 14 hours. This number is much lower than in 2020, which amounts to 11 sub-district capitals," said Ansar.

In addition, Ansar added that during the four years of the Riau Islands Terangan Program running (2021-2024), 21 islands had been built by generators or solar home systems/SHS, and 59 villages/islands had been built.

Through the Riau Islands Program, 12,764 new electricity pairs (BPBL) have also been implemented. Either through the APBD budget, APBN, CSR, or in the form of SHS.

In 2021, the total households received assistance with new electricity pairs totaling 4524 households, 1739 households in 2022, 2895 households in 2023, and 3,606 households in 2024.

"The construction of electricity facilities on inhabited islands (a total of 38 islands) is a priority," said Ansar.

Another priority is to increase the hours of operation in 69 PLN isolated systems to 24 hours. Especially in three sub-district mothers who are still operating for 14 hours.