PLN gets power supply from PLTA Poso

State-run power company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) unit for south, southeast and west Sulawesi region (Sultanbatara), had started receiving additional electricity supply from the 195-megawatt (MW) hydro power plant PLTA Poso, which began its operation recently, The Jakarta Post reported Wednesday.

However, PLN has not yet fully utilized power produced by PLTA Poso because the transmission network from Poso to the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu has not yet been completed.

?The transmission network from Poso to Palu is currently being installed. We expect it to be completed by mid 2013, at which time Central Sulawesi will also be connected to the South and West Sulawesi interconnection power system,? PLN?s President Director Nur Pamudji said.

Pamudji said the state electricity company had begun receiving a 35-MW power supply from the hydropower plant early this month. He said the additional supply would help PLN to meet the local demand.

Pamudji acknowledged that once the Poso PLTA is connected to the South and West Sulawesi power grid, PLN could save up to Rp 1.2 trillion (US$133 million) by reducing its dependency on diesel-fueled power plants and buying power from PLTA Poso at 6.7 US cents per kilowatt hour.

The PLTA Poso was built by PT Poso Energy, a subsidiary of the Kalla Group owned by former vice president Jusuf Kalla, at a cost of around Rp 4 trillion in 2005. (*)