Sulawesi Has EBT Potential, PLN Commits To Supplying Industrial Electricity Needs With Green Energy

JAKARTA - PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo ensures that he is ready to supply reliable electricity from green energy for industrial areas in Sulawesi.

Darmo, as he is familiarly called, said that electricity demand in Sulawesi will increase along with the operation of a number of industrial areas in the region. Moreover, in Sulawesi there are 3 Special Economic Zones (SEZs), namely the Palu SEZ, Likupang SEZ and Bitung SEZ.

"To encourage investment growth that has an impact on the community, PLN is ready to meet the electricity needs of industrial areas in Sulawesi," said Darmo, quoted Sunday, February 27.

According to him, PLN is ready to meet the electricity needs of industrial areas in Sulawesi with green energy, considering the potential for new and renewable energy (EBT) in the Sulawesi region is quite abundant, ranging from water resources, geothermal, wind power, and others.

"The potential of hydropower in South Sulawesi alone based on ESDM data is quite large, if maximized it can produce a stinging power of up to 2,946.8 megawatts (MW)," he said.

He continued, in the 2021-2030 Electric Power Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), nationally the portion of the addition of EBT plants was 51.6 percent, bigger than the addition of fossil generators of 48.4 percent. Specifically for the Sulawesi region, a 783.09 MW power plant will be developed.

"Most of the additional power plants are NRE plants reaching 397 MW or 51 percent. While the remaining fossil plants are 386 MW or 49 percent," he said.

He revealed that electricity needs in the Sulawesi region are currently partially fulfilled by EBT-based power plants, such as the Northern Sulawesi System supported by the Solar PV Plant in Sumalata with a capacity of 2 MW, the Isimu Solar PV Plant 10 MW, the Likupang Solar PV Plant 15 MW, and the Lahendong PLTP of 120 MW.

For Sidrap, PLN relies on a PLTB with a capacity of 77 MW, while in the south of Sulawesi there is a PLTB Jeneponto with a capacity of 66 MW. The Southeast and South Sulawesi regions are also supported by NRE power plants, HPP Poso Peaker 515 MW, HPP Bakaru 126 MW, HPP Bili Bili 19.5 MW.

The operation of the EBT-based power plant continues to grow, with the inauguration of the Poso Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA) and the Malea Hydroelectric Power Plant. The two hydropower plants increase the installed capacity of NRE power plants in the Sulawesi electricity system to 1.05 Giga Watt (GW) or 33 percent of Sulawesi's energy mix.

The EBT power plant in Sulawesi is dominated by hydropower of 778.16 MW. In addition, there are PLTS with a total installed capacity of 27.62 MW, PLTB with an installed capacity of 130 MW and PLTP with a capacity of 114.80 MW.

This step is also in line with the proof that the Indonesian government is the host of the G20 meeting. Indonesia plays an active role in reducing world carbon emissions through aggressively building clean energy-based power plants.

"The Poso hydropower and Malea hydropower plants are proof of PLN's active contribution in achieving the national energy mix target and the world's NDC target," said Darmawan.

However, in accelerating the development of EBT, PLN cannot do it alone. There needs to be collaboration and synergy both with SOEs and the private sector in supporting the ideals of NDC.

"PLN cannot do it alone. It needs the support of all parties. We are open to involvement in the investment or funding side, especially the G20 participants," he concluded.