13 
As will be noted, the principal public-utility steam-power stations 
are located in the most important cities, and Medan, Palembang, and 
Makassar depend solely on the steam stations of the N. I. G. M. for 
light and power, while the N. I. G. M. and A. N. I. E. M. supply 
Batavia and Surabaya partially from steam plants. 
The Government stations at Taajeh, Tandjoeng, and Poeloe Laocet 
are used to supply the Government coal mines located at these places, 
and the plant at Mantoeng supplies power to the Government tin 
mines on the island of Banka. The Bataafsche Petroleum Maat- 
schappij’s (B. P. M.) stations at Tjepoe and Balikpapan are used to 
supply light and power to the company’s oil fields, while the Steen- 
kolen Mij. Parappattan also supplies power for its own coal mines at 
Beraoe. 
USE OF DIESEL POWER 
As explained in the previous section, very little use is made of 
Diesel power for the generation of electricity by the Government. 
Diesel engines are used chiefly by the public-utility companies, which 
supply light and power to small towns and villages, and by private 
companies for similar purposes on estates or in factories. The 
majority of Diesel installations are designed to operate plants with a 
capacity of 100 to 500 kilowatts. Approximately 30 of the small 
central stations of the public-utility companies are operated by 
Diesel engines, the total installed capacity of these plants amounting 
to over 16,000 kilowatts. 
The most important private Diesel installation in the islands is at 
Manggar on the island of Billiton and is owned by the Billiton Tin 
Co. The Manggar plant, which has a total installed capacity of 
8,700 kilowatts, is claimed to be one of tha largest Diesel plants in 
the Orient. : 
CURRENT CHARACTERISTICS 
The power generated in the power stations of the Netherland East 
Indies has, since 1923, been standardized at voltages which have been 
in effect throughout the islands, the usual system for transmission and 
distribution being 3-phase alternating current at 50 cycles per second. 
The principal voltages used for transmission are 25,000/30,000 volts 
and 70,000 volts. For generation and primary distribution, 6,000 
volts are used while for secondary distribution (4-wire system), 
127/220 and 110/190 volts are used. Direct current is used only in 
small private plants and by the electric traction companies. 
Standardized voltages for 3-phase alternating current are 127, 220, 
and 380 volts for lighting and small-power installations and 3,000 and 
6,000 volts for large-power installations. Secondary standards are 
110, 190, 500, 3,000, 15,000, and 25,000 volts. Standard voltages for 
direct current are 110, 220, and 600 volts. and the secondary standard 
for power 1s 440 volts. 
RATES CHARGED FOR CURRENT 
Electric current costs are not uniform in the Netherland East 
Indies, being somewhat higher in the districts where current has just 
become available than in the districts where the public-utility com- 
panies have been established for some time. Electricity for lighting 
purposes sells for approximately $0.20 (United States currency) per 
Alowati-hour in east Java and the Outer Possessions and for $0.16