Jakarta. Electricity sector becomes more vibrant during the two years of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla administration. Recently, national electricity projects have entered construction phase of the development of power plants with 8,187 megawatts (MW) of capacity. The current administration had initially set a target of generating 35,000MW electricity capacities.

Head of Corporate Communication Unit at State Electricity Company (PLN) I Made Suprateka said that the national electricity has sharply developed during the last two years. Aside of setting the program of 35,000MW electricity, the government has also removed technical constrains related to the program of electricity development.

PLN has quota to work on the projects to generate 10,000MW capacity through 125MW of commercial operation data and 3,194MW of construction. Meanwhile, independent power producers or IPPs have a quota of generating 25,000MW capacity.

To date IPPs have signed power purchase agreement of 13,673MW electricity capacities with PLN. The number is equal to 55% of total projects carried out by private electricity developers.

IPPs have entered construction phase for generating 4,993MW capacity, or equal to 20% of their quota.

The currenct progress is in line with the time line set by PLN. This year, the projects of gas power plants, with 350MW capacity, have commenced in six regions in Sumatera: two in Bangka Belitung, two in North Sumatera, and one in Riau.

The projects for generating 2,719MW capacity under Java-Bali system have entered construction phase for Lontar steam electricity power plant, Jawa II Tanjung Priok steam gas power plant. Cisokan water power plant, Jatigede water power plant, Karimun Java mini gas power plant, and Grati steam gas power plant.

In Kalimantan , PLN has constructed Kalbar gas power plant or Pontianak Peaker power plant, which has 100MW capacities. Meanwhile, West Nusa Tenggara province has the project of MPP Lombok Unit II gas power plant, which has 25MW capacities.

Currently, IPPs have entered construction phase of 20 projects of water, mini hydro, and steam power plants in Sumatera that have a total of 66MW capacity. “President is monitoring the details of the developments, and he remembers the time of ground breakings (of the projects),” told Made to KONTAN on Friday (21/10).

As of 2019, national electricity is expected to reach 90,000MW capacity with 85% of electrification. By that time, PLN’s sales is expected to double from the current number of sales. “I am optimistic that we can achieve the target of 35,000MW capacity by 2019”, Made said.

Electricity observer Fabby Tumiwa said that the access to electricity has increased by 5% compared with previous periods. Fabby said that thus is government great achievements, since the bidding processes for projects of 35,000MW capacity require promptness, transparency, and circumspection. “It is not easy to complete the projects of 35,000MW. The maximum COD is only 20,000MW”, Fabby said.

(MUHAMMAD FARID/Translator)

Editor: Adi Wikanto