E. Lombok PLTU starts operation

By Nova Farida

Petromindo|Boim

A 50 MW coal-fired power plant (PLTU) in Sambelia, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province, has recently started operation, according to an official at state-owned electricity firm PT PLN.

?The (power plant) has started operation recently and the electricity has entered the Lombok system,? said General Manager of PLN for West Nusa Tenggara region, Mukhtar told Petromindo.com on Friday.

The operation of the PLTU has increased the installed power capacity in Lombok to 293 MW from 243 MW previously. With a peak load of 222 MW, the system now have excess power of 71 MW. ?We hope electrification ratio in Lombok to continue increase,? Mukhtar said.

The electrification ratio in West Nusa Tenggara last year reached 77.68 percent, and is expected to increase to 80.1 percent this year, and to further increase to more than 95 percent in 2020.

A number of new power plant projects are being planned in the province including PLTU Lombok Peaker with capacity of 150 MW, Sumbawa gas engine power plant (PLTMG) with capacity of 50 MW, PLTMG Bima with capacity of 50 MW, PLTU Lombok with capacity of 100 MW, and the 100 MW PLTU Lombok 2.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak