PGE begins operation of Ulubelu geothermal power plant unit 3

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, has since July 15 operating the unit 3 of the Ulubelu 55 MW geothermal power plant in Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province, sooner than the August 6 schedule, Kompas reported on Thursday.

The paper quoted PGE?s Ulubelu Area General Manager, Dirgo Rahayu as saying that completion of the third unit of the Ulubelu geothermal power plant has increased the total capacity of the plant to 165 MW. The first and second unit have been in operation since 2012.

PGE sells the electricity to state-owned electricity firm PT PLN at a price of 7.53 US cents per kWh, the paper said.

Dirgo said that PGE is currently in the process of completing the fourth unit, with a capacity of 55 MW, which has been targeted to be completed in June 2017, but may be realized sooner as construction progress has not reached 92 percent. (*)