PLN plans to build transmission line across Sumatra
Wednesday, August 20 2014 - 08:51 AM WIB
In the first phase, the trans-Sumatra transmission network, dubbed by the firm ?Sumatra power toll road?, will be built in five segments:
1. New AurDuri ? Perbatasan (Jambi ? Riau) (Lot-1)
2. New AurDuri ? Perbatasan (Jambi ? Riau) (Lot-2)
3. Perbatasan (Jambi ? Riau) ? Rengat
4. Ruas Rengat ? New Garuda Sakti (Lot-1)
5. Ruas Rengat ? New Garuda Sakti (Lot-2)
The first phase network will stretch 360 km from Aur Duri in Jambi to Garuda Sakti in Riau. The development of this network will start later this year and be completed in 2017. The transmision line will channel power from the coal fired power plants now under construction such as the 2x400 MW PLTU Jambi, the 2x300 MW PLTU Sumsel 6, the 2x150 MW PLTU Sumsel 7.
At present, power network in Sumatra is divided into three different systems with a voltage of 275 kV : namely Southern Sumatra System covering the areas of South Sumatra, Lampung and Bengkulu; Central Sumatra System covering West Sumatra, Riau and Jambi; and Nortern Sumatra System covering North Sumatra and Aceh. Peak load in Sumatra now reaches 4,483 MW with an annual load growth of 10 percent.
Aside from strengthening electricity system in Sumatra, the new power network will significantly reduce the consumption of oil fuels for power generation in Sumatra.
PLN is now in the phase of carrying out pre-qualification tender for the five work packages of the Aur Duri- Garuda Sakti project.
The tender is open for any competent national developers. This is the first project in which developers will be reponsible for the financing. The development costs will be repaid over a period of 12 years.
In the second phase, which is scheduled to kick off in 2016, PLN will build a similar transmission line from Aur Duri to Muara Enim, in South Sumatra. In the third phase, it will build a transmission line from Garuda Sakti to Medan in North Sumatra. If all the projects are completed as scheduled, Sumatra will have one grid stretching from Muara Enim to South Sumatra by 2020.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon