Allocating IDR 184 Billion, PLN Builds Electricity Toll Road On Buru Island, Maluku

JAKARTA - PT PLN (Persero) has built a 70 kilovolt (kV) High Voltage Air Line (SUTT) along the 180.9 kilometer circuit (kms) on Buru Island, Maluku.

The company allocated a budget of Rp. 184 billion to build an electricity toll road that divides Buru Island from north to south. Currently, of the planned 234 SUTT towers, 26 towers have been established on the second largest island in Maluku Province.

Director of Mega Projects and New Renewable Energy at PLN, Wiluyo Kusdwiharto, said that the increase in the reliability of electricity in eastern Indonesia was accompanied by the aim of growing the level of the regional economy.

Not only on Buru Island, PLN is targeting an additional 46 megawatt (MW) generating capacity, 520 kms SUTT, and 140 MVA substations in the provinces of Papua, Maluku and North Maluku this year.

"PLN prioritizes electricity in eastern Indonesia to improve people's welfare. The operation of the high-voltage electricity system since 2015 in Papua and Maluku marks the revival of the spirit of energy justice in the frontier, outermost and disadvantaged (3T) areas," said Wiluyo in his statement to the media, Friday, 1 April.

General Manager of PLN's Main Development Unit (UIP) Maluku Papua, Reisal Rimtahi Hasoloan, said that the SUTT construction process from Namlea to Namrole sub-district had started last year and so far the progress has reached 29 percent.

"As of the fourth week of March, there have been 68 tower points whose foundations have been completed," said Reisal.

Reisal said, the electric power system is generally built from three main functions, firstly generating, secondly transmission in the form of SUTT and substations (GI), and thirdly distribution.

"What we are trying to accelerate its development on Buru Island are the first and second functions. Among them are the Namlea Gas Engine Power Plant (PLTMG), Namrole-Namlea SUTT, Namlea GI and Namrole GI," said Reisal.

The Namlea PLTMG with a capacity of 10 megawatts (MW), is currently making 43 percent progress, while the Namlea 30 megavolt ampere (MVA) GI and 20 MVA Namrole GIs have 80 percent and 24 percent progress, respectively.

The Namlea GI is currently carrying out a grounding test, and will continue with the main equipment test phase. In general, substations function to lower the electric voltage so that they are ideal for distribution to customers.

"Transformation of electricity on Buru Island is very important. With this SUTT the risk of network disruption is also reduced so that electricity is not easily extinguished," added Reisal.