JAKARTA – PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) (PLN) planned for the Sumatra and Bangka electricity system of 36 circuit kilometres (ckm) to be connected to submarine electric cables by December 2021. Director of Mega Projects and New Renewable Energy of PLN, Wiluyo Kusdwiharto, announced this target in a press release, quoted Monday (27/9).
According to Kusdwiharto, the connection between these systems would enable PLN to stop the operations of five Diesel Power Plants of 65 megawatts (MW) each. Subsequently, it would reduce oil fuel utilisation by 186 million litres, thus cutting the emission of over 221 thousand tons of CO2 per year. “It would facilitate efficiency in PLN’s operating expenses of IDR 1.4 trillion,” he concluded.
It is also mentioned that Bangka island would receive additional electricity power of 109 MVA from the submarine cable connection. The power plants in Bangka currently generate 187.7 MW, with a peak load of 174.8 MW. “The investment to join these cable systems amounted to IDR 1.9 trillion,” Kusdwiharto reveals.
Additionally, once the submarine cables were connected, the Basic Cost of Supply of electricity in Bangka would decrease 57% from IDR 2,454 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to IDR 1,054 per kWh. (LK/ZH)