PLN to fix 69 electricity substations broken by Mount Semeru eruption

Jakarta (ANTARA) - State Electricity Enterprise (PLN) targets that 69 of 79 electricity substations can be reactivated again tomorrow, as currently they are still out of order due to Mount Semeru eruption in Lumajang, East Java.

"Of the 79 transformers that cover 22,826 customers, we can normalize 69 transformers," PLN's Senior Distribution Manager for East Java Distribution Main Unit Adriansyah said at a press conference on Sunday.

He explained that the restoration of the remaining 10 electrical substations would be conducted once the eruption of Mount Semeru slowed down.

PLN has deployed a team  in the affected areas to restore the condition of 10 electrical substations. However, the restoration effort was halted on Sunday owing to another eruption of the volcano.

"It's raining of thick volcanic ash, so we are not able to restore the electricity network," he remarked.

As of Sunday at 10 a.m.local time, PLN has managed to reactivate 33 electricity substations, put of a total of 112 electricity substations affected by the eruption of Mount Semeru.

Adriansyah said that his office would try its best to fix the condition of the existing electricity networks in areas affected by the disaster.

He informed that the workers was not able to enter the affected area because Gladak Perak Bridge had collapsed, preventing vehicles from passing.

The company plans to pull the electricity transmission network and build a new 300 meter connection to the Ampel Gading feeder from Supit.

"Today we are ready to move to build a 300-meter pole planting," he concluded.

Mount Semeru, the highest mountain on the island of Java, has erupted since Friday, December 3.

Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency Lieutenant General Suharyanto said here on Sunday, said that the eruption of Mount Semeru had claimed 13 lives as of Sunday at 9:20 a.m. local time. (*)