The government's touch for residents who lack electricity in Papua

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) continues to be committed to realizing the development of pro-people energy infrastructure. This is in accordance with President Joko Widodo's vision and mission to realize equitable and just development.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has allocated a budget to build solar power installations to illuminate a number of points in three regencies, in the interior of Papua, namely Jayawijaya Regency, Lanny Jaya Regency and Yahukimo Regency.

The government realizes that electricity has become a basic need of society. Therefore, the government launched a solar street lighting program (PJUTS) in various areas in Papua.

A total of 450 PJUTS units have been installed and enjoyed by the public. The facility was inaugurated by the Secretary of the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), Sahid Junaidi, together with Member of Commission VII DPR-RI, Ina Elisabet Kobak, and Jayawijaya Regent, Jhon Richard Banua, symbolically in Jayawijaya Regency, on Saturday, ( 15/10).

After being inaugurated, the management of the public facilities was then handed over from the ministry to each district government. These facilities are expected to be maintained, maintained regularly so that the service life can be more durable.

Secretary of the Directorate General of EBTKE Sahid Junaidi in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, hopes that after 450 PJUTS units are installed, more points, especially those that have not been reached by PLN electricity, can be served.

The installation of PJUTS in all regions in Indonesia from 2015 to 2021 has more than 90,000 units. Part of that number is installed in regencies and cities in Papua Province. In addition to the construction of PJUTS, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is also working on an electric power distribution device (APDAL) program for the community. The central government is optimistic that the program will be completed and can be used in October 2022.

Hand in hand taking care of her

Member of Commission VII DPR-RI, Ina Elisabet Kobak, who was present at the inauguration, appreciated the Directorate General of EBTKE, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources for working on the program. The DPR encourages that in 2022, 350 PJUTS can be installed again, including Jayawijaya Regency, which is expected to get another allocation.

Because the procurement, distribution and installation of PJUTS requires sacrifices that are not easy, the people of the three districts need to work together to take care of them.

The DPR supports the ranks of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to continue to struggle with various breakthrough ideas in the use of renewable energy so that all people in the Indonesian archipelago can experience it.

Ina Elisabet, a legislator from Papua, ensures that the Papuan people will smile when the lights that are installed illuminate the streets in villages or villages that were once dark.

As is known, the PJUTS consists of four main components, namely poles with a height of about seven meters and corrosion resistance, batteries, solar modules and lights.

The battery capacity in each PJUTS is 40 amperes which can operate for three days even though it does not get a supply of sunlight.

The lamp components used are LED types which have very high light efficiency, with a lamp power of 40 watts or the equivalent of 400 watts for mercury lamps. The solar module with a size of more than one meter has a capacity of 300 watts.

The lamp kit has a three year warranty. The public can report the damage to the lamp to the provider or the ministry. Because on each pole there is a striped code that can be scanned on a mobile phone to be sent to Jakarta. It is intended to facilitate maintenance and repair.

Regent John Richard Banua expressed his appreciation for the PJUTS assistance. He admitted that so far he has been trying to get electricity to all villages, but there are problems because some villages are far from electricity installations owned by PT PLN (Persero).

Because it is still difficult to reach 328 villages, the support of solar lamps such as those provided by the ministry is very helpful for the community, even the Jayawijaya government.

The government and the people in Jayawijaya hope that in the years to come, they will get additional PJUTS quotas.

The Regent promised to be ready to coordinate the planning for the location of the PJUTS placement so that it is right on target and does not overlap so that it will have a positive impact on the community.

Beneficiary's representative, Amos Huby said that the free lights really helped them to enjoy lighting without having to pay a monthly fee to any party.

Before there were lights in their neighborhood, residents did not do much activity at night for fear of becoming victims of muggings or other acts of violence. However, with the street lights installed, people's activities at night can be smooth.

The lights in the neighborhood turn on automatically at 6 pm until they go out at 5 am. He will participate in motivating other residents to maintain the lights which are now the common property of the community.

Solar power assistance is very beneficial for the people in the mountainous region of Papua.

The difficult terrain means that there are still residents who are not familiar with electricity. They only depend on fire for lighting in their homes when night falls.

Using a lamp with kerosene fuel is not easy because the price of kerosene reaches Rp. 25,000 per liter.

SOURCE : https://papua.antaranews.com/amp/berita/692517/sentuhan-government-untuk-warga-minim-listrik-di-papua