PLN starts developing PLTG Gorontalo

State owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) broke ground on Thursday on a gas-fired power plant in Pohuwatu regency, Gorontalo province -- called PLTG Gorontalo ? with a combined capacity of 100 MW.

The groundbreaking ceremony was presided over by Gorontalo?s Governor Rusli Habibie.

In his speech, the governor said the provincial government fully supports the project given the fact the province still lacks electricity. He will do his utmost to ensure the project will run smoothly.

PLN?s Director Amin Subekti said the power plant is designed to have four units, each with the capacity of 25 MW. The construction is carried out by state construction firm PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PP) with a contract value of US$97.35 million plus Rp 498.95 billion and a contract duration of six months. The contract was signed on June 30, 2015. The power plant is located in Maleo village, Paguat district, Pohuwatu regency.

Amin said the power plant will be connected to the North Sulawesi-Gorontalo (Sulutgo) grid, which now experiences power supply deficit. At present, there are demands for a total of 70 MW from new customers in the regions which PLN is still unable to meet.

Once the new power plant has come onstream, electrification ratio in the region will increase to 84.4 percent at the end of 2016 from 74 percent at present, he said.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon