PLN develops hydro, coal-fired plants in Ende

State-owned electricity firm PT. Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) is pushing to complete the construction of a mini-hydro power plant and coal-fired power plant in Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, as part of efforts to reduce the consumption of more expensive diesel fuel, Kontan daily reported Monday.

PLN is developing a 2.4 MW Ndungga mini-hydro power plant in Tiwutewa Village, Ndona District, Ende Regency. The paper said that state-owned construction firm PT Brantas Adipray and a Chinese firm partner are constructing the power plant.

Leo Buntoro, a senior official at PLN unit in Flores, said that the peak load during the evening in Ende is about 7.6 MW and during the day at 4.5 MW. The electricity is supplied entirely by the Mautapaga diesel-fired power plant, which consumes about 1 million liters of high speed diesel per month. He said that once the mini-hydro power plant is in operation, PLN could save about 7,600 liters of diesel per day, or equal to a cost saving of about Rp 100 million per day.

Leo said that PLN is also developing a 2x7 MW Ropa coal-fired power plant in Ende, currently being constructed by a consortium comprising of local firm PT Bali Rekadaya Elektrika, a subsidiary of PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali, and a Chinese company called Shandong Machinery I & E Group. The coal supply for the plant will come from Kalimantan, the paper said. (*)