PLN Electricity Threatens Local Community Energy Independence in Jambi, Indonesia
In the morning at the end of December 2023, Tanjung Kasri Village in Jambi, Indonesia felt cold and humid. Heavy rain had poured down on the village area all night. In the living room, Hasanadi sat cross-legged while sipping a glass of Serampang coffee.
Not far from him, Fitria, Hasanadi's wife, was still busy making tapan—a basket to transport garden produce. Her fingers were agile as she wove bamboo and rattan.
The lights in the living room were left on even though it was already daytime. "Are the lights not turned off, sir?" I asked to start a conversation.
Hasanadi laughed. "It's never turned off, it's always on," he replied.
The 48-year-old man told the story of how the residents of Tanjung Kasri were able to be energy independent, even though their village is 384 kilometers from Jambi City and surrounded by the Kerinci Seblat National Park forest.
"We use a micro-hydro power plant from the Nyabu River."
For 15 years, the people of Tanjung Kasri Village, in Jangkat District, Merangin Regency, Jambi Province have used the Nyabu River as a source of electricity. The headwaters of the Nyabu River are on Mount Sumbing which is still covered in dense forest.
I was invited to see the Nyabu River behind the village. The water is clear and has a strong current. About 200 meters from the bridge, the river current is dammed and a water flow is made to rotate a turbine with a capacity of 60 kilowatts. The power generated is sufficient to light up 132 houses in Tanjung Kasri.
"In the past, before there was electricity, we used kerosene lamps. Some also used petromaks," said Hasanadi.
At the end of 2019, the village government agreed to disburse 570 million rupiah to replace obsolete generators. The village community works together for energy independence.
Cheap electricity tariffs
Electricity customers in Tanjung Kasri are only charged 1,000 rupiah per kilowatt-hour, 30% cheaper than the electricity tariff of the State Electricity Company (PLN). The electricity manager in the village also waives the cost of installing a new network.
"Our monthly fee is 120,000 rupiah, for TV, refrigerator, washing machine, magicom, lights never go off, they are always on," said Hasanadi.
Leni's electricity bill is cheaper. She only pays 35,000 rupiah a month. "At home, it's only for magicom, lights and TV. If you don't use TV, it's 15,000 rupiah a month."
In 2023, the PLN network will start entering Tanjung Kasri Village and is targeting 130 new customers. However, residents are not interested in installing PLN electricity because the cost is more expensive.
Another advantage of using micro hydropower plants is that residents don't have to worry if the electricity suddenly goes out. Because the maintenance of the machines and networks is managed independently by the village community.
"If the electricity goes out, there must be a problem with the generator, we can fix it right away. If PLN goes out, we don't know where the damage is. We have to wait for PLN people, it's a hassle," said Rilian, the manager of the power plant in Tanjung Kasri.
Although the tariff charged to customers is very cheap, Rilian said that the monthly income is enough to cover maintenance costs, operations and salaries for administrators.
PLN becomes an obstacle
Since early 2019, Ahmad Tito, who was then the head of Tanjung Kasri Village, was busy meeting with the Jambi provincial government, proposing the revitalization of obsolete power plants.
During a coordination meeting related to sharpening the strategic priority project plan at Best Western Premier Panbil, Batam City, Riau Islands, Jambi Governor Al Haris proposed to the National Development Planning Agency that the central government help revitalize the micro hydropower plant in Tanjung Kasri as an acceleration of renewable energy development and energy conservation. But it was rejected.
"Maybe because PLN has entered the village," said Tito.
Uli Arta Siagian, manager of the Walhi National Forest and Garden Campaign, said that the government should support renewable energy managed by the people, not kill it.
Energy-independent residents are forced to use PLN electricity, which is mostly supplied from the company's coal-fired power plants. He is worried that PLN's electricity monopoly will kill the energy sovereignty managed by the community.
Despite having monopolized the entire electricity business in Indonesia for years, PLN continues to lose money. Zakki Amali, Trend Asia Research Manager, said the take-or-pay (TOP) scheme requires PLN to pay electricity to private power plants even though the power supplied is not used. This scheme is what makes PLN continue to lose money.
Jambi Province, which is part of the Sumatra network, currently has an excess supply of electricity of up to 34%. This figure could grow to 52.2% by 2025 and remain above 39% by 2030 if the plan to build a PLTU continues. Sumatra also has excess power of up to 40% of its installed power.
In 2017, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) estimated that for every 1 gigawatt of unused electricity, PLN paid at least 3.16 billion US dollars. Meanwhile, in 2021, PLN is estimated to pay around 103 trillion rupiah to IPPs through the TOP scheme.
In PLN's press release on March 14, 2024, it was stated that the state-owned company had just received an injection of 75.83 trillion rupiah from the Ministry of Finance for electricity subsidies in 2024.
The 2024 Energy Subsidy Contract between the government and PLN, which was signed at the Sutikno Slamet Building, Directorate General of Budget, Ministry of Finance, Jakarta, was referred to as an effort to provide access to affordable electricity for the community and small business actors.
"Already monopolizing electricity, getting subsidies from the government, but continuing to lose," said Uli.
Impact on climate
The micro hydropower plant proves that the forest around Tanjung Kasri is still preserved. "The community will protect the forest because they need a water source," said Uli.
The more people who use hydropower, the more people will protect the forest and that will have a good impact on the climate. "But this good practice is actually being killed by the government itself."
In the 2015-2050 National Energy General Plan, Jambi Province has a renewable energy potential of 447 megawatts from micro-hydro and mini-hydro energy. The locations are spread across the regencies of Sarolangun, Merangin, Tebo, Bungo, Kerinci and Sungai Penuh City where forest cover is still preserved. However, this potential is threatened with not being able to be used.
In 2024, PLN is building a new network in the Renah Kemumu Village, Air Liki, Air Liki Baru, Koto Rawang areas in Merangin Regency and Renah Kayu Embun Village in Sungai Penuh City. Four villages—apart from Koto Rawang—have utilized electricity from the PLTMH.
According to Uli, the government should support micro hydropower plants managed independently by the community, as an effort to transition energy and a commitment to reduce emissions.
The Indonesian government is targeting a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 29% with its own efforts, and 41% with international support by 2030, one of which is through the energy and forestry sectors.
President Joko Widodo said that Indonesia has and continues to work hard to achieve net zero emissions by 2060. The former Governor of DKI Jakarta also emphasized that with all its limitations, Indonesia continues to reduce carbon emissions, including through improving the management of Forest and Other Land Use (FOLU) and accelerating the energy transition to new renewable energy.
According to the Jambi Province Regional Energy General Plan in 2019, Jambi has a target of using 24% renewable energy by 2025. And reaching 40% by 2050.
"We have the same vision, so we need to synergize between the local government, PLN and the central government so that the potential of micro-hydro and mini-hydro is not wasted. So that energy reliability is maintained," said Setyasmoko Pandu Hartadita, head of Energy Division of the Jambi Province ESDM Service.
Faithfully guarding customary forests
For decades, the Tanjung Kasri community has guarded the Serampas clan's customary forest. Customary leaders prohibit forests in the upper reaches of rivers from being cleared, because they are worried that it will affect water discharge and cause disasters.
"If it is cleared carelessly, it can cause drought, landslides and floods, because the forest is already bare," said Rilian.
Serampas customary law also strictly regulates communities who want to clear forests for farming. They are prohibited from clearing land beyond their capacity to cultivate the land. The Serampas customary community is aware that customary forests must be guarded and protected.
"If you want to cut down a forest, you must have permission from the customary institution, you can't just do it carelessly," said the father of three.
Serampas Customary Law also prohibits outsiders from entering the Tanjung Kasri area, because they are worried that they will encroach on the forest. "Thank God, until now the forest has been protected," said Rilian.
Recognition and protection of the Serampas Clan Customary Law Community is stated in Merangin Regency Regulation Number 8/2016. The regulation states that the area of the Serampas customary area reaches 61,000 hectares. Around 1,368 hectares are in the Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) area.
In the Serampas custom, there is a hulu aik or water head area, this area may not be opened because it contains water sources that are important for life. There is also canyon land and rocky fields that may only be managed by the Depati and the ninik mamak.
Customary rules also regulate the issue of control and utilization of ajum land and arah land. Ajum land is an area used for cultivating young plants and seasonal plants to support the community's economy, while arah land is an area used for settlements.
The Serampas clan land inherited from ancestors must not be managed greedily, said Rilian. Everything must be in accordance with customary rules that have been held for generations and hundreds of years.
Food sources are maintained
The forest on Mount Sumbing not only maintains the water of the Nyabu River which is a source of electricity, but also the water source for dozens of hectares of rice fields in Tanjung Kasri.
I met Leni who was taking care of her child in a hut. Leni has been guarding the rice in the field for six weeks. Many sparrows eat the rice before the harvest.
More than a third of Tanjung Kasri residents manage the rice fields. Once harvested, the rice is enough for a year's food needs. On average, one hectare of rice field can produce 80 to 100 sacks of grain or 800 kilograms of rice.
Women in Tanjung Kasri play an important role. From generation to generation they are responsible for managing the rice fields, from seeding and planting to harvesting, while men take care of the coffee and cinnamon plantations.
Gustina said that the rice fields in Tanjung Kasri have never failed to harvest, although in several areas in Jambi many rice crops have failed due to climate change.
Red shrimp rice is typical of Tanjung Kasri. The color of the rice is red and it tastes sticky. Generally, local rice takes seven months from seeding to harvest.
"The rice fields here are only cultivated once a year even though the water is smooth. But the results of one harvest are enough to eat for a year," said Gustina.
Jawarnah mentioned the PLN network that enters Tanjung Kasri Village. He said that residents do not need PLN electricity. What they need now is a road.
The road to the village is still dirt mixed with rocks. The inclines and descents are very steep. Occasionally the road bends sharply. Residents have to wrap their motorbike wheels with chains to increase traction.
"We need a road, if the water and electricity are safe," he said.
"People want to give birth in the middle of the night, get sick in the middle of the night, have difficulty going out. People who don't leave the village for a year can still be held back, but if they want to give birth, how can they hold it back?"
To get to Bangko, the capital of Merangin Regency, which is 150 kilometers away, they have to rent a double axle car. One rental is 350,000 rupiah, not including the cost of diesel.
"Everything becomes expensive because the road is difficult. If it can be exchanged, we want the PLN to be exchanged for the road. We don't need PLN, we already have our own electricity."
This story was produced with support from Internews' Earth Journalism Network. It was first published in Bahasa Indonesia in Mongabay Indonesia on March 31, 2024. It has been translated and lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner image: Tanjung Kasri Village of the Serampas traditional clan in Jangkat District, Merangin Regency / Credit: Teguh Suprayitno for Mongabay Indonesia.
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