Operating For More Than 100 Years, Bengkok Hydropower Plant Results 3.85 MW

Bengkok hydropower (Photo: Doc. VOI)

BANDUNG PT PLN (Persero) through its subsidiary, PLN Indonesia Power is able to maintain the performance of one of the oldest hydroelectric power plants (PLTA) in Indonesia, namely the Bengkok hydropower plant located in Bandung, West Java.

Eksis sejak 1923, PLTA Bengkok dioperasikan oleh melalui subholding PLN Indonesia Power (PLN IP) dan menjadi salah satu sumber listrik bersih bagi area Bandung dan sekitarnya.

Not only that, this generator has also been recognized as a cultural heritage building in Bandung City. In order to maintain its originality, until now the operation still uses original machines and equipment that are operated manually.

Senior Manager of PLN Indonesia Power, Saguling Generation Business Unit, Doni Bakar, explained that the Bengkok hydropower plant has four generating units in two different locations. At the main location of the Bengkok hydropower plant, there are three generating units with a total capacity of 3 x 1,050 kilowatts (kW), while one other unit is PLTA Dago which has a capacity of 700 KW. Thus, this total power plant is capable of producing clean electricity of 3.85 Megawattts (MW).

"Regions that receive electricity supply from the Bengkok hydropower plant include Sukaresmi, Dago and Bengkok themselves. But as electricity needs are getting bigger, the Bengkok hydropower plant is now a supporting electricity supplier for the city of Bandung," Doni said when met in Bandung, quoted Wednesday, September 4.

He explained, to maintain the reliability of Bengkok hydropower, PLN continues to carry out various routine maintenance efforts. There are two types of periodic maintenance carried out, namely preventive maintenance and periodic maintenance.

In addition, general inspections were also carried out for the Bengkok hydropower plant after 24,000 to 30,000 hours of operation. Then, every 40,000 to 45,000 hours of operation or every 6-7 years, an overhaul is also carried out for all components of the Bengkok hydropower plant.

With these steps, the Bengkok hydropower plant is able to remain prime even though it has been operating for more than 100 years.

"We are committed to keeping Bengkok hydropower plant alive into a sustainable green energy plant. This is part of a long history of using environmentally friendly energy in Indonesia," concluded Doni.