PLN to soon complete two transmission line projects in Sumatra
Tuesday, February 28 2017 - 06:31 AM WIB
Petromindo
State-owned electricity firm PT PLN will soon complete two transmission line projects in Sumatra that are expected to further improve power supply reliability in the island.
Business Director of PLN for Sumatra Region, Amir Rosidin told Petromindo.com on Monday that the 116 kV Muara Bungo-Kilianjoro transmission line will start operation in March of this year.
He added that the 112 kV Kilianjaro-Payakumbuh transmission network will start operation in May of this year.
Amir said that the two transmission line sections form part of a combined 19,000 km transmission lines linking Aceh and Lampung provinces being developed by PLN in Sumatra.
He said that main source of energy in Sumatra particularly coal is located in the southern part of the island, while the highest electricity consumption is in the northern part. ?As such, we need transmission lines to transmit the electrical power from power generating centers to load centers in Sumatra,? he said.
Amir said that in January of this year, PLN started operating a 275 kV extra high voltage elevated transmission line with a length of 389 circuit km from Lahat to Muara Bungo. The transmission network links the extra high voltage substation (GITET) in Lahat with GITETs in Lubuk Linggau, Bangko and Muara Bungo.
?The Payakumbuh-Padang Sidempuan transmission network is expected to start operation in June. And then the Sarulla, Simangkuk, Galang and Binjai transmission line sections will be completed around September (of this year),? he added.
Further south, transmission lines will also be developed until Lampung. The new Sumatra transmission network is expected to be fully operational in 2018. ?We hope to complete it at the end of 2018, sooner than the initial target of early 2019. We work 24 hours a day to complete the projects quickly,? he said.
He said that the company is currently in the process of completing land acquisition for the transmission projects. He said that the company has been engaged in tough negotiation with a company called PT Padasa Enam Utama for the latter to relinquish its land asset for transmission line and substation projects in Rokan Hulu Regency.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak