Bigger power crisis looms

Editorial, Jakarta Post 07/03/2008.

The government seems increasingly unable to cope with the acute power shortage that has gotten worse over the past three years. Power blackouts have hit more areas and happen more often. There is almost no improvement in the supply-capacity ratio, in sharp contrast to high growth in power consumption, generated by comparatively strong economic growth (5.5 to 6.3 percent).

The reserve margin of supply capacity of the state electricity company (PLN) is now so low, at just half of the recommended minimum 30 percent required to ensure supply stability (above the demand during peak-load period), that a stoppage at just one major power station could cause a massive blackout.

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