PLN to develop 19,000 kms transmission lines in Sumatra

State-owned electricity firm PT PLN plans to develop a total of 19,000 kms transmission lines in Sumatra over the next five years to transmit power from coal-rich South Sumatra to other parts of the island where power supply is limited.

PLN Director of Business for Sumatra Region Amir Rosidin said on Friday that the planned 19,000 kms of transmission lines in Sumatra form part of the total 46,000 kms of transmission lines to be developed by PLN across the country to support the government?s five-year program of developing a combined 35,000 MW power plants, the bulk of which would be coal-fired.

Amir said as quoted by detik.com that South Sumatra, which has lots of coal reserves, a cheaper source of energy for power plants, will see the development of a number of coal-fired power plants including the 1,200 MW PLTU Sumsel 8 coal-fired power plant and 220 MW PLTU Banjarsari.

He said that new transmission lines will be required to transmit electricity from the power plants to the northern region of Sumatra (North Sumatra and Aceh provinces) were power reserves currently stand at only about 6 percent, which make the provinces prone to blackout if one of the existing power plants run into trouble or undergo maintenance.

Amir said that the new transmission lines will also integrate the Sumatra electricity system, which currently comprises of stand-along systems including northern part of Sumatra system, central part of Sumatra system, and southern part of Sumatra system.

He added that the new transmission lines will also prompt PLN to stop leasing diesel-fired power plants, which are costly, and to replace them with cheaper electricity from coal-fired power plants to be developed in South Sumatra. (*)