The Republic Of Indonesia Oversupplys Electricity Supply, The Boss Of PLN Disburses The Cause!

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - President Director of PT PLN (Persero) Darmawan Prasodjo revealed the reasons for the oversupply of electricity experienced by RI in the last 2 years.

Darmawan said the electricity system in Java and Bali until 2019 was still within the ideal criteria with a reserve margin of 32 percent.

"The Java-Bali system until 2019, the balance between supply and demand is still within the criteria," he said in a Hearing Meeting with Commission VII quoted on Thursday, February 9.

Darmawan continued, this situation began to change during the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 which caused electricity demand to decline drastically. It is known that the reserve margin in 2020 is 39.9 percent and decreases to 37 percent in 2021.

At the same time, PLN must also face oversupply because Steam Power Plants (PLTU) are also starting to operate.

"We have to deal with a decrease in demand due to COVID-19 while the 35 GW outbreak has also started operating," Darmawan continued.

Previously, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir admitted that the state-owned stun company was still experiencing oversupply or excess electricity supply.

According to him, this will be an obstacle when the company makes an energy transition from fossil to new and renewable energy (EBT).

Even so, Erick emphasized that the energy transition to EBT is inevitable. It's just that there are several notes that the government and BUMN must complete. One of them is the excess electricity supply.

"That's a problem, but when it's not oversupply, the addition of new electricity with EBT," he told reporters.