PLN Bogor UPDL Launches Diesel Power Plant Laboratory to Enhance Electricity Workforce Quality
PLN’s Bogor Training and Education Unit (UPDL) remains committed to enhancing the technical competencies of workers and students in the electricity sector.
One concrete step is optimising the Diesel Power Plant (PLTD) Laboratory, equipped with two legendary Caterpillar 3406 DI diesel engines and their generator sets. This initiative ensures trainees gain hands-on experience meeting heavy industrial standards.
The Caterpillar 3406 DI engines feature high specifications: 4-stroke turbo diesel inline 6-cylinder with a 14.6-litre capacity. Equipped with direct injection and liquid cooling systems to maintain temperature stability during continuous operation, the engines can generate between 275 and 400 kVA of electrical power.
Ahmad Ridani, Manager of PLN’s Bogor UPDL, stated that the fully equipped laboratory demonstrates the unit’s readiness to produce experts in power generation. ‘We at UPDL Bogor are committed to providing a learning environment that closely mirrors real-world conditions,’ he said in a statement on Friday, 29 May 2026.
He added that by directly operating the Caterpillar 3406 DI engines, trainees not only understand the theory but also develop the mental readiness and technical skills necessary for managing national electricity assets.
The development of facilities and programmes at UPDL Bogor aligns with the strategic vision of Yendah Cahyaningrum, General Manager of PLN’s Central Training and Education Centre (Pusdiklat).
As part of its corporate programme, PLN Pusdiklat is actively promoting standardisation and modernisation of training centres across Indonesia to produce highly skilled personnel adaptable to current and future energy industry demands.
The transformation of UPDL laboratories is key to establishing a globally standardised electricity education ecosystem. The energy conversion process in the lab follows standard industrial PLTD principles: diesel engines burn diesel fuel to generate powerful mechanical rotation.
This mechanical rotation drives the generator, converting mechanical energy into electricity. The generated electricity is then directed to distribution transformers before being supplied to residential networks. Training sessions are conducted directly at the PLTD laboratory complex of PLN’s Bogor UPDL.
With comfortable, comprehensive facilities and expert instructors, the programme is tailored for students, technicians, and electricity professionals seeking to enhance their practical operational and maintenance skills for power generation.