Asahan I power plant to undergo trial operation next month

PLTA Asahan I, a US$200 million hydropower plants currently being built near Lake Toba in North Sumatra, will undergo a trial operation next month, a Chinese company handling the plant?s construction has said.

Tan Zu Wan, Chief of Office China Gezhouba Group Corp (CGGC), said in Medan on Friday that the construction of the hydropower plant which would have a capacity of 2 x 90 megawatt had been 75 percent completed.

?We hope the power plant will be able to begin commercial operation before the end of this year,? he said.

The construction of the power plant which began in December, 2006 is scheduled for completion in March next year. The construction of the plant which will cost up to $200 million involves about 900 workers.

PLTA Asahan I will be the second hydropower plant being built near the Lake Toba in North Sumatra. The first hydropower plant PLTA Asahan II was built by PT Asahan Indonesia Aluminium (Inalum)), an aluminum processing plant operated by Japanese consortium Nippon Asahan Alumunium (NAA) in cooperation with the Indonesian government.

Manerep Pasaribu, a senior executive of state electricity company PLN?s branch in North Sumatra, said that PLN had no intention to take over the operation of PLTA Asahan II when the cooperation with the Japanese consortium ended 2013.

PLTA Ashan II with a capacity of 603 megawatt is mainly operated to supply the power need of the aluminum plant, which produces about 225,000 tons a year. (*)