New Unit of PLTP Ulubelu to Come on Stream in April

id Ulubelu, PLTP Ulubelu, Panas Bumi Ulubelu, Panas Bumi Lampung

New Unit of PLTP Ulubelu to Come on Stream in April

PLTP Ulubelu di Kabupaten Tanggamus, Lampung. (FOTO: ANTARA Lampung/Budisantoso Budiman)

Palembang, S Sumatra, March 2 (Antara) - New units of geothermal power plant of PLTP Ulubelu in the regency of Tanggamus, Lampung, would officially come on stream in April this year.


Construction of the third and fourth units of PLTP Ulubelu, which are part of the program to build new power plants with a total capacity of 35,000 megawatts until 2019, has been completed.


President Joko Widodo inaugurated the groundbreaking ceremony of the projects, which is owned by the state energy comnpany PT Pertamina in Kamojang a few years earlier.


"The operation of the new power plants would be officially commissioned around April this year," Vice Presiden Corproate Communication of PT Pertamina Wianda Pusponegoro, said here on Thursday.

Wianda said the area of PLTP ulubelu is operated by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy by utilizing geothermal reserves in the regency of Tanggamus.


PLTP Ulubelu unit 4 with a capacity of 55 MW, is to start commercial operation in April, 2017 and the Unit 3 with the same capacity of 55 MW was already in operation since August 2016.


Wianda said PLTP Ulubelu in Lampung with a capacity of 165 MW is the first and largest geothermal power projects in Indonesia.


PLTP Ulubelu, could meet 25 percent of electricity requirement in the province of Lampung .


Currently, Pertamina continues developing new and renewable energy sources including geothermal energy to generate power.


"Although growing only 5 percent a year, the government sees the potential of geothermal power in the country." he said.


Indonesia has the largest geothermal reserves in the world.


Wianda said the PLTP Ulubelu could meet power requirement of 1.5 households in Lampung , reduce green house gas emission and save the use of oil for household fuel.


"Hopefully the president could officially commission the operation of PLTP Ulubelu in April," she said.


Most geothermal power projects are located close to conservation and protected forests as geothermal reserves are found generally in forest areas.


Pertamina, therefore, have to coordinate with the local people and the environment and forestry ministry that development of geothermal power plants would not cause problems such as with local people, Wianda said.