Construction Supporting Kayan PLTA's First Dam Has Started, Progress Reaches 50 Percent

PT Kayan Hydro Energi (KHE) said construction for supporting infrastructure for the construction of the first dam for the Kayan Cascade Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA) had started this year.

This was revealed by the Director of Operations of PT KHE Sapta Nugraha when met by VOI at the Kayan Cascade hydropower plant, Bulungan, North Kalimantan (Kaltara), Thursday, May 30.

"In terms of work, it has started. So, starting from the access road that we saw earlier, until later to the dam, we have accessed the body of the dam. That's what we are doing," he said.

Sapta added that currently all supporting infrastructure for the construction of the first phase of the dam is being worked on. According to him, the first thing that is done when building a dam is to open access roads around the construction area.

"Because the first time it has to be done, right, accessing the construction area. It's all connected. We just need to tidy up the road so that the contour is not too steep," he said.

He said, progressively, all work was in accordance with the plan. Currently, he continued, the work has entered the stage of the dam body.

"The channel that was first built for the dam, yes, the drain channel. Because, right, water from the river must be channeled first so that the river can dry up. Then, excavations are carried out and then dams eventually. That's the standard," he said.

Furthermore, said Sapta, currently the progress for dam support infrastructure has reached more than 20 percent. "In terms of construction, it's around 50 percent," he added.

The project value for the first phase dam of the Kayan Cascade hydropower plant will cost US $ 4 billion.

Previously reported, PT Kayan Hydro Energi (KHE) targets the construction of the first dam for the Kayan Cascade hydropower plant starting next year.

KHE Khaerony's Director of Operations explained that the hydropower plant, which will have a total capacity of 9,000 megawatts (MW), has entered the stage of the construction of the diversion channel.

Roni, Khaerony's nickname, said that this diversion work had been carried out about 3-4 months ago. He said that the work on diverting this river was carried out by detonating or blasting the project site. It is targeted that the work can be completed in 6-8 months.

"Now we are concentrating on the diversion channel so that at least next year it will be completed and we can divert the river to build the Kayan dam," he said at the Kayan Cascade hydropower plant construction area, Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan Province, Monday, December 11, 2023.