PLN inaugurates Muara Tawar CNG storage plant today
Monday, March 17 2014 - 02:34 AM WIB
President Director of state-owned electricity firm PT. Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Nur Pamudji, is scheduled to inaugurate the operation of a CNG storage facility at the company?s Muara Tawar power plant in Bekasi, West Java, today.
PLN said in a statement that the CNG storage plant has a capacity to store 5 mmscf of gas, but will be later increased to 20 mmscf. The plant will store excess gas supply for later use during peak load.
The use of gas, instead of the more expensive high speed diesel fuel, during peak load is estimated to result in cost saving of about Rp 1.79 trillion per year, the statement said.
The Muara Tawar steam power plant receives 180 bbtud of gas from state-controlled gas distribution firm PGN Tbk. While gas requirement during base load is 100 bbtud, it triples to 300 bbtud during peak load. Due to the lack of gas supply during the peak load, the power plant had resorted to the use of more expensive high speed diesel (HSD) of about 203,000 kilo liters per year.
As such, the supply of gas by the CNG storage during peak load will allow a cost saving of about Rp 1.79 trillion per year, assuming HSD price of Rp 8,800 per liter.
The Rp 557 billion investment CNG storage plant was constructed by a consortium of PT Pembangunan Perumahan, Odira, and Adcomp. It is expected to reach a break-even point in October 2014.
PLN is also planning to develop a similar CNG plant at its Gresik power plant unit in East Java.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak