Good progress at Sumatra-Java-Bali grid projects: PLN
Thursday, May 3 2012 - 12:28 PM WIB
State owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara said on Thursday its megaproject of building powerlines that will connect Sumatra, Java and Bali, three most developed regions of the nation, is making good progress.
PLN?s Construction Director Nasri Sebayang told Petromindo.com that the works of installing a 150 kV subsea powerline linking Java and Bali are expected to be completed between August and September this year.
?Works on land have been finalized. The vessel carrying the subsea cable is now on the way from Singapore and the cables will be laid once they arrive,? Nasri said, adding the project is being handled by Japanese firm Sumitomo Corp. and Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V.
The island of Bali, a tourism hub, lies 3.2 km east of Java. At present, a subsea cable has been in place linking both islands, but the cable is capable of transmitting only 200 MW of power from Java to Bali, much lower than the current peak power load on the island, which stands at 500 MW. The peak load is expected to further increase in the future along with the economic growth of the island. The new subsea cable is expected to deliver another 200 MW of power to Bali.
Aside from the subsea cables, PLN has also planned to build an overhead crossing network linking both islands.
According to Nasri, the bidding process for the construction of the overhead cable has been finalized with a consortium including state owned construction firm Wijaya Karya (WIKA) selected as the developer of the project at the end of last year.
?The project is targeted to be completed in 28 months,? he said.
PLN has also planned to build an underwater powerline stretching from Lampung to Banten, thus linking Sumatra and Java islands. According to Nasri, the project, now in the prequalification bidding process, is targeted to be completed in 2016.
?Once all the projects have been completed, we shall have a power grid linking Sumatra, Java and Bali,? he said.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon