People From The Papuan Oxibili District Utilize EBT Electricity From PLTM

Photo: Special

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) through the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) has completed the construction and revitalization of the 1 Megawatt (MW) Mini Hydro Power Plant (PLTM) in Oksibil District, Bintang Mountains Regency, Papua Mountains Province.

Head of the Communications, Public Information Services and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Agus Cahyono Adi revealed that the completion of the PLTM revitalization is one of the dedieselization programs that will replace the PLTD Power Plant which has been operating in Oksibil District.

"The PLTM will make electricity flowing in Oksibil 100 percent using New Renewable Energy (EBT) for 24/7, replacing PLTD, which has been producing electricity there," Agus said in his statement to the media, Wednesday, March 27.

Agus said the construction of the Oksibil 1 MW PLTM uses a multi-year contract mechanism and has been completed in 2020, but there are still obstacles in the operation of PLTM due to the construction of a power evacuation network that must be built by the Regional Government of the Bintang Mountains Regency has not been implemented.

Then in 2023, Agus continued, the Directorate General of EBTKE revitalized the Oksibil PLTM to optimize the performance of the PLTM. The revitalization has now been completed and the PLTM can function and be utilized properly.

"In parallel with the revitalization of PTLM, PT. PLN (Persero) has also completed the construction of the Medium Voltage Distribution Network (JTM) from the location of PLTM to Oksibil along 18.5 kms and a trial has been carried out to drain PLTM electricity to the network," continued Agus.

With the use of the PLTM, he continued, it will generate enormous savings for the local government, due to the savings in the use of fuel used for PLTD operations amounting to Rp49.14 million per day or reaching Rp1.4 billion per month. The next step is just to hand over the electricity operations of the Bintang Mountains Regency Government to PT PLN (Persero).