Jokowi breaks ground on Nias? power transmission line
Saturday, August 20 2016 - 02:25 AM WIB
The power line will be built from Idanoi to Teluk Dalam with a planned length of 110 km. The power line is scheduled for completion in April 2017 and will be constructed using a total of 393 towers. Thus far, state owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has appropriated lands for a total of 172 towers, PLN said in a statement.
The President was accompanied by Minister of State Enterprises Rini Soemarno, North Sumatra?s Governor Teuku Erry and PLN?s President Director Sofyan Bashir during the visit to the island for the groundbreaking ceremony.
Following the groundbreaking ceremony, the President also visited the site in Idanoi where a mobile power plant (MPP) with a capacity of 1x25 MW is now under construction. The President wanted to see the progress of the project which he kicked off last June. The power project aimed to increase power supplies on the island, which was hit by a blackout several months due to PLN?s failure to pay for power supplied a privately-owned diesel power generators.
The progress of the project has reached 59 percent and it is expected to start commercial operation this October. Once the power plant has come into operation, PLN can reduce the utilization of diesel power generators on the island, thereby cutting its operation costs. The most important thing however is that the operation of the MPP will enable PLN to expand the number of its customers on the island and increase the island?s economy.
At present, power system in NIas is supported by diesel power generators located in Teluk Dalam and Gunung Sitoli with a combined capacity of 33.15 MW, while the peak load of 24.02 MW. Going forward, PLN plans to build another power plant on the island, a 25 MW gas engine power plant (PTLMG) in order to further increase electrification ratio there.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon