PLN to increase power supply for east Indonesia

State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) will start operate next month a number of power plants with a total capacity of 82 megawatt (MW) in east Indonesia.

The operations of the new power plants are expected to help end the rotating blackouts now in place in many parts of te region.

PLN's director of operation for east Indonesia Vickner Sinaga said on Tuesday the power plants were part of the Phase One 10,000 MW crasg program launched by the goverment to adress shortage of power supplies in many parts of the country.

Among the plants are the Amurang coal-fired power plant Unit I in North Sulawesi with a capacity of 25 MW, the Kendari coal-fired power plant Unit I in Southeast Sulawesi (10 MW), the Ende coal-fired power plant unit I in East Nusa Tenggara (7 MW), the Lombok plant (25 MW), the gas-fired Ulumbu plant (5 MW), and a 10 MW power plant owned by independent power producer.

In 2011, PLN plans to build 11 more power plants to further fulfill increasing demand for electricity in east Indonesia.

The power plants include Asam-Asam coal-fired in South Kalimantan (2x65 MW), the second unit of Amurang coal-fired plant (25 MW), the second unit of Kendari coal-fired plant (10 MW), the second unit of Ende coal-fired plant (7 MW), Poso hydropower plant, Central Sulawesi (195 MW), Sengkang gas-fired (2x60 MW), Jaya Pura coal-fired power plant (2x10 MW). (giok)