Govt revokes decree on work-day shift for industries

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 09/29/2010 10:06 AM | Business
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The government has finally decided to revoke a 2008 joint decree signed by five ministers that obliges industries in Java and Bali to move two of five work days to Saturday and Sunday to overcome shortages in the islands’ electricity supply.

The secretary general of the Industry Ministry, Agus Tjahayana, said in Jakarta on Monday that the decree was no longer needed because state-owned electricity company PLN had provided enough supply following the operation of several coal-fired power plants recently.

“The five ministers agreed to revoke the decree,” he told reporters in a press conference at the ministry on Monday. He added that by repealing the decree, industries could normalize their work days to Monday-Friday.

In July 2008, the Industry Minister, the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister, the Manpower and Transmigration Minister, the Home Minister and the State-Owned Enterprises Minister issued the joint decree after PLN posted a supply deficit of about 600 Megawatts a day between Monday and Friday, while on Saturday and Sunday there was a surplus of 3000 MW.

The decree obliged industries to shift two of five work days from Monday-Friday to Saturday-Sunday to avoid regular blackouts during the week.

Agus said the current electricity supply was not worrisome because heavy rainfall had increased
water reserves to generate electricity from hydropower plants on the two islands.

The additional supply from newly operational coal-fired power plants in Java would be able to maintain the stability of the electricity supply for the people and industries, he said.

PLN is building a number large coal-fired power plants in Java as part of the first 1,000-power-plant development program. Most of them have begun commercial operation. They include PLTU Labuan Banten with a capacity of 300 MW, PLTU Suralaya, Banten with a capacity of 625 MW, PLTU Indramayu, West Java with a capacity of 3x330 MW and PLTU Rembang, in Central Java with a capacity of 2x630 MW. (rdf)