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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