MRT Jakarta Reminds PLN's Promise to Build Special Power Plant

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT MRT Jakarta Corporate Secretary Division Head, Muhammad Kamaluddin, said that his side is waiting for the state-run electricity firm PLN’s promise to build a third subsystem as the electricity supply for the urban train.

According to Kamaluddin, PLN planned to construct a gas power plant (PLTG) in Jakarta as an alternate power source.

“The trouble (in MRT operation) is because of the electric supply from the first and second subsystem that is cut off, while the third subsystem is not available yet,” said Kamaluddin on Tuesday, August 6.

Previous reports suggested that seven MRT trains or Ratangga were unable to operate on Sunday, August 4 due to blackout. PLN explained the outage was triggered by disturbances in its 500-kV Extra High Voltage Air Duct (SUTET) in Ungaran-Pemalang, stopping the power supply to the train’s subsystems, namely Gandul-Muara Subsystem via Pondok Indah Substation and Cawang-Bekasi Subsystem via PLN CSW Main Substation.

“The back-up plants or generator sets could only cover the evacuation effort in stations and undergrounds,” Kamaluddin added.

PLN’s second director of strategic procurement, Djoko Raharjo Abumanan, confirmed his corporate’s plans to prepare a special electricity backup for MRT Jakarta in the form of PLTG in Istora Senayan, South Jakarta. 

“Indonesia Power (PLN's subsidiary) will build the PLTG. We prepare this in case of this situation (blackout). It will be located in Senayan Shooting Range,” Djoko said.

FRANSISCO ROSARIANS ENGA GEKEN