Low Electrification Ratio, PLN Boss Akui Need Capital IDR 45 Million Per Customer

Screenshot of PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo in a meeting with Commission VI of the DPR. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) or PLN noted that the electrification ratio as of October 2022 reached 97.49 percent. The low number is not without reason.

PLN President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo admitted that connecting electricity is not an easy matter.

In particular, continued Darmawan, the connection of electricity to the frontier, outermost, was left behind (3T). The difficulties experienced are not only about infrastructure in the area, but also about costs.

Darmawan said investment for electricity infrastructure per customer in the 3T region alone reached Rp45 million. Meanwhile, there are 4,400 villages in the 3T area that have not yet had electricity.

"The cost of investing in electricity infrastructure for the 3T area reaches Rp45 million per customer," said Darmawan during a hearing (RDP) with Commission VI of the DPR RI, at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Monday, November 28.

Meanwhile, in non-3T areas, said Darmawan, PLN requires a budget of IDR 1 million to IDR 2 million to build infrastructure per customer.

Furthermore, Darmawan explained, with the high investment in the 3T area, the area was not economically feasible or in the company's business.

Even so, Darmawan said, his party will implement access and electricity infrastructure, because it is a manifestation of social justice for the entire community.

Therefore, Darmawan continued, government funding in the form of State Capital Participation (PMN) of IDR 10 trillion in 2023 requires PLN to realize the vision of justice.

"For this reason, PMN is needed to build electricity infrastructure in 3T which is economically not feasible, but as a tangible manifestation of the mandate of the 5th precept of Pancasila," he said.

For your information, PMN for the 2023 fiscal year, worth IDR 10 trillion proposed by PLN, will be used for new and renewable energy plants (EBT).

Especially the development of hydropower, PLTS, PLTP, and PLTM infrastructure worth IDR 1.74 trillion.

Then, Rp3.78 trillion will be used for transmission functions and substations to connect electricity in remote areas.

Then, as much as IDR 4.48 trillion will be used for the distribution function and village electricity.