PLN Focuses On Electric Stove Trial Program, No Power Transfer

Cooking is more fun with electric stoves, people can save money. (Spc)

JAKARTA - PT PLN (Persero) as a State-Owned Enterprise (BUMN) supports the President's direction regarding the transition of 3 kg LPG to electric stoves delivered by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto together with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif on Thursday, September 23. PLN continues to focus on mentoring and evaluating Beneficiary Families (KPM) for the pilot program that has been implemented for 1,000 KPM in Solo and 1,000 KPM in Denpasar.

“The government's directions are very clear and PLN is following up with various improvements to the pilot program in the two cities. We continue to provide assistance to the beneficiary communities, until they can actually operate their use independently and switch completely to electric stoves," explained PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo in a written statement received by VOI September 26.

The recipients of the electric stove switching program are customers with a power of 450 VA and 900 VA. There is no change in the customer's electrical power. PLN provides a special power line for cooking with sufficient power for electric stoves. This cable line is separated from the existing electrical installation and the tariffs charged are also unchanged.

“Although PLN provides a special cooking cable line, KPM's electric power has not changed. The 450 VA remains 450 VA, the 900 VA also remains 900 VA. We also ensure that there is no transfer of power from 450 VA to 900 VA as was circulating in the community," said Darmawan.

A mother is cooking on an electric stove. (Spc)

Monitoring and evaluation continues. The technical constraints experienced by KPM in using cooking utensils such as pots and pans are input for improvement. But overall this program shows positive progress. The consumption of kWh from the use of electric stoves is getting bigger and KPM is starting to feel that the cost of cooking using an electric stove is cheaper than the 3 kg LPG.

"PLN will periodically report monitoring and evaluation data on the electric stove trial program in the two cities to be taken into consideration by the government in making further policies," he said.

PLN always strives to carry out government directives to accelerate the clean energy transition in the country, support targeted subsidies, as well as reduce Indonesia's dependence on imported energy and replace it with cheaper domestic energy such as electric stoves.