PLN to raise power capacity in N. Sulawesi

PLN to raise power capacity in N. Sulawesi

By Frits H. Pangemanan

MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): The state electricity company PT
Perusahaan Listrik Negara will expand its power generation
capacity by 78.7 megawatts, to a total of 202.02 megawatts, in
the next five years, a spokesman said.

Santoso Sudjadi, a spokesman for the PT Perusahaan Listrik
Negara (PLN) projects in North and Central Sulawesi, told The
Jakarta Post over the weekend that to expand the generation
capacity, the company will build geothermal power units in
Lahendong and hydro-power units in Tanggari and Sawangan.

He said that a geothermal power unit, with a generation
capacity of 40 megawatts (MW), and another one with a capacity of
2.5 MW will be constructed in Lahendong, about 30 kilometers from
here, while two hydro-power units with a combined capacity of
36.2 MW will be constructed in Tanggari and Sawangan, about 80 km
from here.

PLN now operates hydro-powered generation plants in Tonsea
Lama and Tanggari, as well as a number of diesel generators in
Manado and Bitung, with a total capacity of 123.32 MW.

Santoso said that PLN will also install transmission networks,
with a total length of 214.7 kilometers, and distribution cable
networks, with a total length of 2,000 kilometers, as well as
construct distribution stations, with a total capacity of 100
megavolt amperes.

He declined to elaborate on the details of the investment for
the planned expansion projects.

He said the expansion projects are expected to meet the
increasing demand for electricity in the province, which is now
promoting the development of tourism and manufacturing industries
as well as rural electrification.

There are some major industrial plants now waiting for
electricity supplies, such as a cement plant in Amurang and the
expansion of a palm oil mill and a fish canning factory, both in
Bitung, he said.

"In addition, the province is also becoming a multi-faceted
investment destination, under government-sponsored cooperation
with Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines," he said.

The cooperation, covering the eastern part of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, will need a lot of electricity,
considering that all parties involved in the cooperation are
committed to jointly develop various projects, such as tourism,
air linkages, transportation, forestry, mining, shipping and
fishery.

With the cooperation, demand for electricity in the province
will likely grow by over 12 percent annually in the coming years,
as compared to the 9.3 percent growth in the last fiscal year.

For the rural electrification, PLN is cooperating with the
state oil and gas company, Pertamina, and the Agency for
Technology Application and Assessment (BPPT) in preparing a pilot
project for the establishment of a small geothermal power plant,
with a capacity of 2.5 MW in Lahendong, which will start
operating later this year, Santoso said.

Setyohadi, head of Pertamina's Lahendong geothermal project,
told the Post that the small-scale geothermal plant was designed
not only to supply electricity to local villages, but also to
become a model for other rural areas in the country.

"We are committed to developing binary-cycle geothermal
plants, which are cheaper to construct and easier to operate," he
said.

According to Santoso, three geothermal wells in Lahendong are
capable of producing 48.8 tons of steam per hour.

He said that the operation of geothermal plants is expected to
help reduce the use of fuel for power generation in the country.
A study shows that a 2.5 MW geothermal plant will be able to help
reduce the use of fuel by 6,300 tons a year.

For the rural electrification in North Sulawesi, Pertamina
will explore for geothermal steam and BPPT will design and
construct power generation plants, while PLN will operate the
plants to supply electricity for local villagers, he said.

According to Setyohadi, North Sulawesi's geothermal steam
sources have the potential to support power plants with a
capacity of 1,000 MW, including 300 MW in Lahendong, 400 MW in
Tompaso (40 km from here), and 300 MW in Kotamobagu (500 km from
here).

Indonesia currently operates seven geothermal plants, with a
combined capacity of 309.75 MW.