JAKARTA - Until the third quarter of 2023, the Electrifying Agriculture (EA) program recorded 230,555 customers or grew by 22 percent compared to the third quarter of 2022 which was 188,963 customers.
PLN President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo said, the EA program is a form of PLN's commitment to encouraging business actors in the agricultural sector to be more advanced and modern. The EA program helps increase productivity and operational cost efficiency of these sector business actors.
"Through this EA Program, farmers and business actors in the agricultural sector can switch to using electricity to make it cheaper and productive. In addition, electricity is also lower in emissions than fuel, so it is more environmentally friendly," Darmawan said in a statement to the media, Saturday, October 14.
Of the total connected power of EA customers, until the third quarter of 2023, it has reached 3,561 Mega Volt Ampere (MVA), an increase of 14 percent compared to the third quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, of the total electricity consumption, the EA program has also increased. Until the third quarter of 2023, total consumption reached 4.1 Terra Watt hour (TWh), or an increase of 8.5 percent compared to the third quarter of 2022.
"We are happy that the innovation program that PLN offers continues to be of interest to the public. Here PLN is not only lighting up, but also able to move the wheels of the economy and bring prosperity to the community," said Darmawan.
He continued, the EA program initiated by PLN managed to reduce the production costs of orange farmers in Ujungpangkah District, Gresik Regency, East Java. Farmers take advantage of the EA program by switching from fuel to electricity for PLN for irrigation. The results were able to reduce production costs by around 30 percent from saving fuel costs for the use of generators.
Happy Syaifullah, an orange farmer in Bolo Village, Gresik Regency, said his experience when turning to PLN electricity.
The transition of diesel fuel to electricity is quite effective in reducing production costs. One day using a water pump with diesel requires 10 liters of fuel to issue Rp. 68,000,-, while electricity only requires 20 kWh per day or around Rp. 20,000,- only, "explained Happy.
He also explained that before using PLN electricity, the harvest only produces 2 tons per hectare every month. Meanwhile, after using PLN electricity, the harvest increases to 5 tons per hectare every month.
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With the smooth and easy garden irrigation, it makes trees grow healthy and produce abundant fruit. Currently we can harvest 200 tons of oranges every month for a land area of 40 hectares, said Happy
The same thing was expressed by the Production Manager of PT Niki Tunggal in Lumajang Regency, East Java, Didik, who felt that the productivity of chicken cultivation increased by 20 percent and could save production costs using PLN electricity. For 1,000 laying hens after 12 weeks of maintenance in electricity cages, it can produce 10,000 eggs, from before using electricity, PLN only produces 8,000 eggs
After using PLN electricity, production costs fell 15 percent so that they could increase production efficiency. Another advantage of heat from electricity is very optimal to maintain the temperature and humidity of chicken coops, especially since we also provide food and water automatically using electricity," concluded Didik.
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