State Electricity Company PT PLN, through the utilisation of State Equity Participation (PMN) funds has enabled construction and operation of two solar power plants with a capacity of 30-kilowatt peak (kWp) in Samanente Village and 20 kWp in Konderjan Village, Sarmi Regency, Papua equipped with battery storage. Yosep Uduas, as the Head of Samanente Village, expressed his delight when his village and neighbouring villages received bright light from the power plants. “Previously, we only had emergency lights and they only lasted about one to two years, after which they broke. After the solar power plant was installed, the children can now study at night,” said Yosep.
Yosep Uduas added that before the plants, residents in Samanente Village had to rely on kerosene for their lamps, which cost Rp 50,000 per five litres. Now with power plants able to illuminate residents’ homes, it will help with their daily activities. “Thank you to PLN for providing electricity. Now houses of worship and hospitals can have power for 24 hours without relying on generators,” added Yosep. The construction of these two plants will supply clean electricity in the Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost (3T) areas so that they are brightly lit while encouraging energy transition in Indonesia.
Acting Regent of Sarmi, Markus Mansnembra appreciated the clean electricity. “On behalf of the local government, we express our gratitude to PLN with the construction of two PLTS that can maximise community productivity. I would like to congratulate the community for no longer being in the dark and hope that what has been built can be maintained together,” he said. In addition to the plants, PLN also built a Low Voltage Network (JTR) along 2 kilometres of circuit (kms) in Samanente Village and 3 kms in Konderjan Village for supply to customers and public facilities. “We hope that the supply that has been provided by PLN will improve aspects of people’s lives. Whether it’s education, economy, business, and regional industry for the long term,” said General Manager of PLN Unit in Papua and West Papua Region, Budiono.
PLN has proposed a State Equity Participation of Rp 5.68 trillion in 2024 for the Village Electricity Programme (Lisdes), which is an effort to build electricity infrastructure in the 3T areas in order to realise equitable development and boost the people’s economy. The plan is that the budget can provide electricity to 2,097 villages with potential customers reaching 192 thousand customers. With these efforts, the Village Electricity Ratio (RDB) is targeted to reach 96.19% by 2024.
President Director of PT PLN (Persero) Darmawan Prasodjo explained that the company’s commitment to pursue the 100% electrification ratio target is to create equitable electricity. “The existence of PLN today is not merely to provide electricity, but also to help the welfare of the community. This PLTS will not only be present for two villages from Sarmi Regency, but will be present for all of Papua,” he said.
Darmawan said, to make this programme a success, PLN has developed a new digital mapping method called Geographic Information System (GIS). This makes the planning and implementation of the Lisdes programme more measurable and targeted. “This new method makes the budget allocation more targeted. We choose villages that are easier to reach first so that the expansion is faster. This will immediately create a multiplier effect, absorb new labour, and improve the welfare of people in the 3T areas,” he said. By utilising GIS, all PLN’s sales holding units and regional holding units across Indonesia should immediately conduct comprehensive and integrated digital planning.
West Papua Now 