Construction of 6,080 MW hydro power plant in N. Kalimantan begins
Monday, January 20 2014 - 02:39 AM WIB
The ground-breaking ceremony for the US$20 billion project was attended by central and local government top officials including Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Susilo Siswoutomo, President Director of state-owned electricity firm PLN Nur Pamudji, Indonesian Military Commander General Moeldoko, Chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Mahendra Siregar, and Indonesian Ambassador for China Soegeng Rahardjo.
Bulungan Regent Budiman Arifin welcomed the power plant project, which is being developed by PT Kayan Hydro Energy, as it would increase electricity supply in the regency. He said that of the 81 villages in the regency, only 33 which have enjoyed 24-hour electricity supply, while the remainders either don?t have access to power supply or only 12-hour supply. ?There are 22 villages that don?t have access to electricity at all,? he said.
Director of PT Kayan Hydro Energy, Andrew said that the project will be developed in five stages, the first of which will be the construction of a 660 MW capacity power generation, which has just started and expected to be completed in 6-7 years.
?Capacity of the first stage is 660 MW, and will gradually increase. For building one dam, it will require about 6 years, but the second and third dams will be developed at the same time. The same thing goes with fourth and fifth dams. So in total, construction (of the whole project) should not take more than 10 years,? he said. (*)