Govt plans power wheeling scheme to accelerate power plant development

By Rikordias D. Siahaan

Director General of Electricity, Jarman Sudimo on Wednesday his office was drafting a new regulation on power wheeling scheme that is expected to accelerate power plant development to supply electricity for growing number of mineral smelter projects in the country.

?Power wheeling scheme is actually simple. For example if there is power-supply-resource potential in an island, and there is a smelter that needs electricity supply, and in the same time PLN has connecting line between the power potential and smelter, the developer of the power plant (IPP) can use PLN?s line to send the power to smelter without any cost. The developer only has to share maintenance cost with PLN,? Jarman explained.

The scheme is designed to ease Independent Power Producers burden to develop power plant in location where smelters and power-resource potential exist such as in Eastern Indonesia where in some islands, hydro-power potentials are present and the needs for power supply for mineral smelting is huge.

Jarman said the regulation will be issued before the end of the year.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak