Enjoying Solar Electricity at National Borders

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 359.Pers/04/SJI/2020

Date: 21 November 2020

Enjoying Solar Electricity at National Borders

A 3-hour road trip from Jayapura City through rain forests, oil palm plantations, and occasionally villages took us to Kalilapar Border Post in Waris District, Keerom Regency, Papua Province. This post is one of the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) border posts. A number of solar panels with a total capacity of 5 kilowatt peak (kWp) are seen in a corner of the post.

Military personnel in full uniform were not the only people who welcomed us that Thursday (19/11) afternoon. When a joint technical team from Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) and TNI Headquarters arrived, 3 locals were watching TV at the veranda of the Kalilapar border post. They seemed engrossed in watching TV while occasionally chatting with TNI personnel who greeted them.

Joni (36), the man most fluent in Indonesian language, said that he stopped at the border post almost every day when he wanted to take a break from his work in a field about one kilometer away. "Here I can watch TV, charge my cellphone without worrying about diesel (oil) running out," he said.

At his house, Joni relies on diesel oil to power a generator set. "It is difficult at home; we have to ask for diesel oil from projects around here, sometimes we buy in Arso (city) at 10 thousand (rupiah per liter)," said Joni. Joni said he was happy the solar power plant had been installed because he now had more freedom to enjoy electricity at the post, which also provides shelter for the locals.

Aka Harahap, a TNI member assigned at the Kalilapar Border Post, also expressed his happiness because although he was stationed in the national border, he could now access electricity freely. "Since the power plant is installed, we can turn on the lights all night, watch TV or sing karaoke whenever opportunity arises," joked the man who comes from Medan and has singing as a hobby.

Since a centralized solar power plant has become operational earlier this year, the energy needs of the border post can be met without depending on diesel oil or gasoline. Electricity is available continuously for 24 hours, and is used for lighting, cellphones charging, and powering TVs and other entertainment gadgets.

The centralized solar power plant at Kalilapar Border Post is one of the nine centralized solar power plants built at national border posts in Papua Province. These power plants were built using the State Budget allocation of Ministry of EMR of Fiscal Year 2019. The nine border posts are Kalibom, Kalilapar, Yabanda, KM 140, Oksibil, Kiwirok, Okbibab, Somografi, and Tatakra. With installation of solar power plants at TNI posts, these border posts are expected to be self-reliant, which means they won't depend on the supply of gasoline or diesel oil the way they used to. (IY)

Head of Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services, and Cooperation

Agung Pribadi (08112213555)

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