Jokowi Wants To Make Indonesia A Major Nickel Producer, PLN Ready To Support With Reliable Electricity

Illustration of workers doing electrical network installation and repair. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, reviewed the construction of the LG Consortium Grand Package project in the Integrated Industrial Estate, Batang on Wednesday, June 8.

This project is a concrete manifestation of the government's plan to make Indonesia a major producer of nickel-based products in the world.

PT PLN as a state-owned electricity company (BUMN) in Indonesia is a major player in supplying industrial electricity needs.

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo ensured that PLN was ready to support industrial growth and the current economic revival of Indonesia.

Moreover, this project is an integrated battery raw material industry that covers from upstream to downstream.

This end-to-end project will support the massive battery-based electric vehicle (KLBB) ecosystem.

According to Darmawan, the existence of this factory is one of President Jokowi's efforts to change Indonesia's dependence on imported energy, namely fuel oil (BBM) into domestic-based energy, namely electricity.

By changing the transportation sector from a fuel-based one to an electricity-based transportation sector.

"We (PLN) are of course ready to supply electricity needs for industries, especially in Batang. This inauguration is a sign, a revival of the development of the downstream industry from our mineral and coal mining industry. Previously, a lot of our natural resources were exported in raw form. with extraordinary added value," said Darmawan.

PLN is also actively involved in this project, which is a consortium between LG and the Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), where PLN is involved in investing 25 percent in this IBC.

"PLN takes an important role. That is how we are directly involved from investment upstream, both from the construction of the smelter. We are also directly involved in the downstream, battery production. And more importantly, later in the process of developing and operating the transportation sector based on electricity, the electricity is from PLN," added Darmawan.

Apart from investing, PLN will also supply electricity to the Batang Integrated Industrial Estate.

In the first stage, Darmawan explained that PLN would supply 2.2 megavolt amperes (MVA) for the electricity needs of the Marketing Gallery offices and tenants in the Batang Integrated Industrial Estate.

"The electricity supply in Java is currently very large and we have a power capable of supplying up to 6.564 megawatts (MW). And a power reserve of 1.713 MW which is ready to supply electricity needs in Batang," said Darmawan.

In the second phase, PLN is currently building a medium-voltage network with a capacity of 30 MVA which is targeted for completion by the end of June 2022.

This electricity infrastructure was built by PLN to serve the construction needs of prospective customers including PT KCC Glass, PT Rumah Keramik Indonesia, PT Aneka Gas Industri, and KITB Workers' Flats.

Darmawan assessed that the massive growth of the nickel component and derivative industry is a good signal for the development of the electric vehicle industry in Indonesia.

This is expected to accelerate the formation of an electric vehicle ecosystem in the country.

"This can also increase national capacity, improve people's quality of life as well as preserve the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Darmawan.