PLN to tender $1 billion hydropower plant

State-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara will soon open bids for the construction of a hydropower plant in Sukaresmi, Rongga district in Bandung regency, West Java.

PLN?s Director for Planning and Technology Bambang Praptono said in Jakarta on Tuesday that PLN will first call for bids to become consultants for the hydropower project, and then for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project.

He said that World Bank had indicated its commitment to providing funding for the power project, which would be operated benefitting from the Cisokan river located near the Sukaresmi village,

?We are still finalizing the negotiation process with the World Bank,? he said.

The construction of the Cisokan hydropower plant which would have four turbines each with a capacity of 260 megawatt would cost about US$1 billion or $2 million per megawatt.

?The per KwH cost is about 4 US cent, much cheaper than the geothermal power plant which costs about 8.5 US cent per kWh,? said Djoko Winarno, the vice chairman of the society for renewable energy.

A number of international investors from China, Japan and Germany had expressed their interests to take part in the tender for the hydropower plant, he said. (*)