Forty-nine-year-old Warsito, who has been living on the Karimunjawa Islands for years, still can’t believe that his dream of having a 24-hour electricity connection, which was also shared by many who live on the islands, has finally come true.

The same sentiment was echoed by Trisno, a 52-year-old souvenir seller in the street vendors area of the Alun-alun Karimunjawa square. “Now, almost every night the Alun-alun is flocked to by tourists for food hunting, hanging out and souvenir shopping,” said Trisno.

After the Central Java province declared Karimunjawa a tourist destination, the state-owned electricity company PLN made an official launch of two diesel-fueled power plants with a capacity of 2.2 megawatts each in May 2016.

The Karimunjawa archipelago has a total of 27 islands. Some of its famous tourist attractions are Menjangan Island and the islands of Tanjung Gelam and Cemara Besar.

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Currently there are five inhabited islands in Karimunjawa. Two already had normal electricity connections. Ever since PLN took charge of the whole electricity network on the islands, there has been an increase in electricity consumption of up to 9 percent, far above the national average of 6.5 percent.

“Until March 2017, PLN had 1,855 household consumers and 86 business consumers. The total power connected is 3,279 kVa, stretching across 45 kilometers,” said PLN's environment communications deputy manager for Central Java and Yogyakarta, Hardian Sakti Laksana.

The increase in consumption was caused by a decrease in electricity rates from Rp 2,500 (less than 50 cents) per kWh to Rp 1,467 per kWh. Meanwhile the price for businesses is set at Rp 2,332 per kWh according to electricity supply costs (BPP).

There is still 3,000 kW of electrical power available in the area that can be used to supply 10 big hotels. (kes)