PLTA Poso hydropower plant begins operation

PT Poso Energy, part of the Kalla business group, plans to begin the commercial operation of the company?s hydropower plant in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi this month, Kompas reported on Wednesday.

Fatimah Kalla, President Director of the Kalla group, said electricity from the PLTA Poso at 3 x 65 megawatt capacity would be sold to state electricity company PLN to provide power supply to Central, South and Southeast Sulawesi provinces.

?We hope later this month, part of the electricity supply from the power plant will be connected with PLN?s electricity distribution system,? Fatimah said, adding that Poso Energy invested up to Rp 3 trillion to build the power plant.

The first two power generators each with a capacity of 65 MW underwent a trial operation several months ago. ?The trial operation of the third generator with a capacity of 65 MW would be carried out this week,? she added.

The power plant takes the advantage of the water from the Sulawena river which flows from the Poso lake with debit rate of 800 meters per second during normal days and about 1,100 meters per second on rainy season.

The electricity from the new power plant would be distributed to Central Sulawesi through a power grid built by Poso Energy. About 40 MW of the power supply will be distributed to South Sulawesi.(*)