Seeing The Progress Of The Kayan Hydropower Plant

Photo Text: Locations that have been 'land clearing' by PT KHE. (Photo of Bitor Ekin Putra)

Kayan River is a river that flows on the island of Borneo, precisely in the province of North Kalimantan. The Kayan River originates at Mount Ukeng and empties into the Sulawesi Sea with a length of about 576 km. The river flows across the city of Tanjung Selor. On the Kayan River, the Kayan Hydroelectric Power Center (PLTA) is being built, which is being worked on by PT Kayan Hydro Energy (PT KHE). The hydropower plant consists of 5 cascades which, when completed, will become the largest hydropower plant in Southeast Asia. Reporting from Wikipedia, the area of the Kayan River Basin (DAS) reaches 36,993.71 sq km with a shape that widens in the upstream and narrows in the middle to downstream. The Kayan River crosses Malinau Regency and Bulungan Regency. The upstream is located in Long Ampung Village, Kayan Selatan District, Malinau Regency. Meanwhile, the estuary is in Tanjung Palas Tengah Subdistrict, Bulungan Regency. Last week, a number of journalists from foreign and national media were invited by PT KHE, which built the Kayan hydropower plant, to see firsthand the development of the hydropower project. With an investment value of more than 17 billion US dollars, apart from internal, PT KHE partnered with Sumitomo from Japan. Departing from Tanjung Selor by speedboat, with PT KHE President Director Andrew Suryali, Operational Director PT KHE Khaerony, Senior Researcher & Creative Action Green World & Climate Change Care Prof. Effendi Gazali, Comedian Iwel Sastra, Professor of Environment at Udayana University Bali Prof Made Sudiana Mahendra, Water and Environmental Expert at Mulawarman University Dr. Mustaqin, Cultural Expert from Mulawarman University Dr. Guntar Ryadi, and reporters crossed the Kayan River for approximately 3 hours to get to the hydropower plant construction site. PT KHE currently has carried out land acquisition and is completing road infrastructure construction. The construction of this road is important because it is the key for the construction of the Kayan 1 hydropower plant to be implemented immediately. For information, PT KHE is currently working on infrastructure development in the form of road construction from the nearest PU (Ministry of Public Works) road to the Kayan 1 dam point which is approximately 12 km away.

This PLTA will have an integrated power source and become the main power source for the Tanah Kuning-Mangkupadi Industrial and International Port (KIPI) Area, North Kalimantan. The industrial estate is managed by PT Indonesia Strategic Industries (PT ISI). Meanwhile, the international port is managed by PT Pelabuhan International Indonesia (PT PII). The Kayan hydropower plant built by PT KHE utilizes the area along the Kayan River and consists of 5 dams with 5-6 units of turbine generators per dam.

The first stage of the Kayan hydropower plant has a capacity of 900 Megawatts (MW), the second stage is 1,200 MW, the third and fourth stages are 1,800 MW each, and the fifth stage is 3,300 MW.

From direct observation in the field, it is evident that PT KHE continues to work. Land has been cleared. Road construction continues. This work also involves local residents. The majority of the people in the two villages that will be relocated agreed to be relocated. Land for moving has also been prepared. Environmental issues are also considered in detail. Properly guarded. Mulawarman University Water and Environmental Expert, Mustaqim ensured that the construction of this dam will not affect the water ecosystem and the surrounding environment.

So, if the Kayan hydropower plant is completed, perhaps Indonesia will be the country most prepared to face Net Zero Emissions (NZE). Moreover, as stated by the President Director of PT KHE Andrew Suryali, PLTA Kayan is the main supplier of electricity for industrial estates managed by PT ISI. An industrial area with a number of tenants who have agreed to operate in this area.