PLN to Eliminate 2,139 Diesel Power Plant Engines

PT PLN (Persero) will eliminate 2,139 diesel engines used in diesel power plants (PLTD) across 741 locations, replacing them with power plants utilising new and renewable energy (EBT). “PLN has also planned to reduce fuel oil consumption in the electricity sector at 741 PLTD locations, with a total of around 2,139 diesel engines,” stated the President Director of PT PLN (Persero), Darmawan Prasodjo, during a Hearing with Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on Monday. Darmawan explained that reducing PLTD operations is part of PLN’s strategy to enhance energy resilience and cut energy costs. According to Darmawan, PLTDs that still rely on diesel fuel must be reduced as quickly as possible, especially since fuel oil is currently an expensive energy source. “The use of energy that is still based on imports and expensive energy, namely fuel oil, must be reduced by us in the short and medium term,” said Darmawan. Furthermore, replacing PLTDs with EBT power plants will transform imported dirty energy into clean, locally based energy. The replacements planned by Darmawan will primarily come from micro-hydro power plants (PLTMH). PLTMH are small-scale power plants that harness the potential energy of water (rivers/waterfalls) to drive turbines and generators. “If micro-hydro is not available, we are designing and building solar power plants (PLTS) equipped with battery energy storage systems (BESS),” said Darmawan. It was previously reported that President Prabowo Subianto has directed the acceleration of converting diesel power plants (PLTD) to solar power plants (PLTS) amid high oil prices. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, after a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (19/3) afternoon, stated that this step has been requested to be calculated and realised immediately. Airlangga said that in its implementation, the Investment Management Agency (BPI) Danantara has been tasked with resolving various issues related to the PLTDs. “Danantara has been assigned to resolve the problems related to those PLTDs,” he said.