Jakarta – Analysts encouraged the government to use new indicators to describe the quality of electricity access in Indonesia, citing that the large electrification ratio in Indonesia has not guaranteed the accessibility, reliability, capacity and quality of electricity the public receives.
The 2022 Performance Achievement Report and 2023 Work Plan of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) renewable energy (EBTKE) Subsector noted that the electrification ratio in Indonesia had reached 99.63 per cent and the ratio of electrified villages reached 99.79 per cent by the end of 2022.
Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) Electricity System and Renewable Energy Analyst Alvin P. Sisdwinugraha said that new indicators are needed to provide an overview of the quality of electricity access in Indonesia, such as the Multi-Tier Framework (MTF). He said such a system can assess the spectrum of service quality from the perspective of electricity users.
“IESR has tried to measure the quality of electricity access using MTF in NTB and NTT in 2019. The result is that electricity needs are not available for 24 hours and are limited to electronic devices and low-power lighting,” he said in a webinar titled “Energy Transition in National Electrification Equity”.
Sisdwinugraha said the government could use evaluation methods that integrate electricity service quality as a key indicator of achievement related to energy access. IESR also encourages the government to seriously and consistently support the provision of quality electricity access, by overcoming various challenges such as geographical locations that are difficult to reach, limited financing and local capacity in maintaining electricity facilities by utilising renewable energy.
Local governments have the authority to develop renewable energy.
Marlistya Citraningrum, IESR’s Quality Energy Access Programme Manager, added that in terms of policy, there is currently a Presidential Regulation No. 11/2023 that gives more authority to local governments, especially in developing renewable energy.
“The addition of this authority certainly needs to be followed by local government initiatives to design programmes that also answer the needs of providing energy access, especially with local renewable energy. The principle of energy decentralisation allows the pursuit of independent energy with the involvement of many parties and is expected to be able to improve the welfare of the community with sustainable energy access,” he added.
According to Marlistya, energy decentralisation with renewable energy sources will open up opportunities for the exploration of wider and participatory use to facilitate access to electricity and improve its reliability. (Hartatik)
