REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The World Bank urged governments to look for diverse energy resources, especially electricity that can be produced at affordable and sustainable price to increase access for all people.
"Demand of electricity continues to exceed its available supply. We need affordable electricity, produces variety sources of electrical energy that can be used efficiently," Vice President of World Bank, Rachel Kyte said on Friday in a wrutte statement.
There are still 80 percent of people in the world do not have access to modern energy, particularly electricity at the countryside. There are 20 countries in Asia and Africa which are home for two-thirds of global population, but do not yet have access to electricity and shelter. The World Bank assessed the addition of modern energy access to the rest of the world should be doubled to meet the target of achieving 100 percent access by 2030.
Meanwhile Indonesian government plans to increase the electricity subsidy to state-owned electricity firm, PT PLN due to some reasons, including the weakening rupiah and changes in Indonesian Crude Price (ICP).
"Government had assumed the exchange rate on the state budget in 2013 amounted 9,300 IDR per USD. It was later changed to 9,600 IDR per USD. It was highly influential," Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jero Wacik said on Friday.
Wacik added that government and the House of Representatives also had approved the change in ICP benchmark price, from 100 USD per barrel to 108 USD per barrel.