Hambali Batubara, Medan – Student and social organisations in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan demonstrated at the Japanese Consulate and the representative offices of PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (PT Inalum) on Wednesday July 18. They were demanding that PT Inalum – which is majority owned by the Japanese government – be nationalised in order overcome the electricity crisis in North Sumatra.

In speeches the protesters said that the state-owned electricity company PLN has been unable to overcome the electricity crisis that North Sumatra has been suffering for some years now. PT Inalum meanwhile has been given full authority to manage the Sigura-gura Waterfall to supply the electricity needs of the company.

“Inalum, as a foreign company with massive capital appears to be neglecting the electricity crisis and leaving the people’s homes in the dark”, said action coordinator Harlen in a speech in front of the Japanese Consulate on Jl. Diponegoro in Medan.

The protesters also called on PLN and the North Sumatra provincial government to act firmly against PT Inalum who appears to be repeatedly extending the electricity supply barter agreement. PT Inalum’s public relations officer Sijabat was not available for comment.

The electricity crisis in North Sumatra has been going on for some years and the situation has worsened over the last year. Rotating blackouts are frequent, with the latest round starting in July. The blackouts can occur three times a day for periods of up to four hours.

PT PLN North Sumatra says that North Sumatra has an electricity deficit of as much as 110 megawatts which the company has tried to overcome by renting a 65 megawatt capacity generator. They are attempting to overcome the remaining shortfall through an electricity supply barter agreement with PT Inalum that was facilitated by the North Sumatra government.

[Translated by James Balowski.]