18 MW Capacity, Two Official Water-Based Power Plants Operating

Photo: Doc. PLN

JAKARTA - A total of two Micro Hydro Power Plants (PLTM) with a total capacity of 18 megawatts (MW) are officially operational.

Both of these plants are ready to strengthen the reliability of PLN's electricity supply to the community.

The two PLTMs are PLTM Aek Sibundong which is located in North Tapanuli, North Sumatra and Lambur PLTM in Pekalongan, Central Java.

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo explained, as a country filled with hundreds of rivers, Indonesia has hidden potential spread throughout the archipelago.

This potential is the discharge of river flow as a source of EBT which is beneficial for the future.

"This is a great potential that we are and will continue to develop together. We hope that the operation of these two PLTMs will increase the reliability of electricity supply to the community," Darmawan said in a statement to the media, Monday, September 26.

Darmawan explained, in RUPTL 2021 - 2030 PLN will be active in building water-based power plants, both in the form of hydropower, PLTM and PLTMH with a total capacity of 10.4 gigawatts (GW).

Meanwhile, the potential for hydropower in Indonesia currently reaches 75 GWs.

First, PLTM Aek Sibundong with a capacity of 10 MW is made by PT Partogi Hydro Energi.

The operation of the generator worth Rp208 billion will improve the reliability of the 20 kV distribution system in the North Tapanuli region.

Through this PLTM operation, Darmawan continued, PLN can save IDR 2.1 billion per year on contract links to 1-8 and IDR 17.7 billion per year in the 9-20 contract year with lower electricity purchases compared to the cost of providing electricity (BPP) in North Sumatra.

"In addition to being a baseload, with this PLTM BPP in North Sumatra, it can also go down so that it provides savings to the state," added Darmawan.

Second, the Lambur PLTM belongs to a subsidiary of PLN, PT Indonesia Power in Pekalongan, Central Java.

This 2x 4 MW plant has an investment value of around Rp220 billion with a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) of 85.3 percent.

Darmawan ensured that PLN would continue to maximize the potential for the development of these water resources for the electricity base.

As of August 2022, he continued, the installed capacity of the hydropower plant that has been developed by PLN is 5.6 GW or 8.5 percent of the total capacity installed by PLN plants in Indonesia.

PLN is committed to the success of the national energy transition program by continuing to increase the capacity of EBT plants and encouraging early retirement for fossil-based power plants.

PLN will continue to collaborate with various parties for the availability of clean and sustainable energy for all Indonesian people.