Ministry, PLN Remain ‘Optimistic’ about 35,000 MW Electricity Program

Ministry, PLN remain ‘optimistic’ about 35,000 MW electricity program. The high-profile, 35,000-megawatt (MW) electricity program had produced 3,009 MW by Jan. 15, or 8 percent of the combined installed capacity of the new power plants, an official has said as quoted by kontan.co.id.

Director of supervision for electricity programs Jisman Hutajulu at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said, however, that most projects had finalized power purchase agreements (PPAs) with state-owned electricity company PLN and third parties.

“The amount seems meager, but if we look closely at the projects, 93.37 percent have finalized PPAs. Only 6.63 percent [of the projects] have not finalized an agreement,” Jisman said on Monday during a public briefing on the 2019-2028 electricity procurement business plan (RUPTL).

He also noted that most of the power plants in operation were mini hydropower plants, gas power plants and renewable energy power plants that had small output capacities and required only 12 to 24 months to construct.

Meanwhile, 58 percent of larger projects like coal-fired power plants (PLTU), combined cycle power plants (PLTGU), geothermal power plants (PLTP) and hydropower plants (PTA) were currently under construction, Jisman said.

PLN planning director Syofvi Felienty Roekman said the company had taken the current supply-demand of electricity into consideration, adding that the electricity supply would see a significant increase in 2020, when many new power plants would start operating.

Syofvi said that 10,000 MW of electricity would be generated next year, when 28.47 percent of the 35,000 MW program would be in operation, while 10.85 percent of all projects could be completed this year to produce an additional 3,800 MW.

She added that she remained optimistic that the 35,000 MW program could be completed in 2023 or 2024. Ministry, PLN remain ‘optimistic’ about 35,000 MW electricity program (bbn, The Jakart Post)