Sengkang new unit starts operation

By Ruli Setiawan

The new 60 megawatt (MW) unit of Sengkang power plant in South Sulawesi has started its commercial operation, enabling the whole Sengkang Power Plant to now produce 255 MW in full operation.

Energy World Corporation, the power plant owner and developer, announced over the weekend that the new unit using new Siemens gas turbine with a 65MW gross capacity, 60MW net capacity at site (GT22) achieved commercial operation on 8th March 2013, having successfully completed its 96 hour net dependable capacity (NOC) test period.

This 60MW expansion represents completion of the first phase of the 120MW expansion of the Sengkang Power Plant. The expansion project was formally awarded by PLN in November 2010 with the signing of a second amendment to the existing power purchase agreement (PPA), which effectively allows completion of the expansion project by September 2013.

With the additional 60MW output from GT22, PTES now has 255MW available for dispatch to the South Sulawesi grid, and as the one and only gas-fired power generation facilities it will provide significant benefits to the province as it will not only supply additional power but also provide cleaner energy to the area.

Situated around 250km northeast of Makassar , when finally completed the Sengkang Power Plant will produce 315 MW. Construction and installation of the steam turbine (ST28) and two heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) is actively ongoing and this second phase component of the expansion project is expected to be commissioned within the next few months, thus adding the combined cycle phase to the expansion project and also fully completing the expansion project.

The entire power output is sold under a long-term power purchase agreement with PLN, a state-owned electricity enterprise which is a single power distributor nationwide.

Editing by Benget Besalicto Tnb.