goodmorningpapua.com – West Papua Province consists of 12 regencies and 1 city with an isolated electric power system, consisting of 7 20 kV systems with loads above 2 MW, namely the Sorong, Fakfak, Manokwari, Kaimana, Teminabuan, Bintuni and Raja Ampat systems. Besides, there is an isolated electric power system with the highest load of less than 2 MW, namely rural electricity spread over 56 locations.
Sales from 2011-2020 grew by an average of 9.6%. The Sorong power system is the largest of the six power systems in West Papua Province, where this system has a total power supply of about 92.0 MW with a capacity of about 90.8 MW and a peak load of 54.8 MW. The 150 kV transmission system in West Papua Province has just operated from PLTMG Sorong to GI Aimas and currently the 20 kV system is still being used to evacuate power from the generator to the customer.
The economic condition of West Papua Province in the last five years from 2015 to 2019 grew with an average growth of around 5.1% per year. This improved economic condition will have an impact on the high consumption of electricity in West Papua Province. As part of PLN’s commitment to serve the community, PLN will meet the electricity needs of 109 health centers in 222 districts spread over 12 districts in West Papua Province. In addition, PLN has also considered the plan for the National Fish Barn in West Papua Province in the projection of electricity growth.
PLN’s sales of electrical energy in the last five years amounted to an average of 405 GWh per year.
The projected electricity needs above include the needs of the Sorong KEK, Bintuni Bay Industrial Estate and other potential large customers in West Papua Province. To serve the needs of KEK, KI and other potential large customers, PLN has prepared the infrastructure for the electric power system (generation, transmission and substations).
The plan for the building of electric power facilities, namely generation, transmission and distribution in West Papua Province, is carried out by taking into account the needs and potential of primary energy and the distribution of the local population, as follows.
West Papua Province has a fairly large primary energy potential. Based on information from the Mining and Energy Office of West Papua Province, in this province there is a coal potential of 151 million tons, natural gas 24 TSCF, oil potential 121 MMSTB and hydropower potential spread across several locations. Primary energy sources that have been developed to be used as electrical energy are water energy of 2 MW in the Fakfak System and natural gas through the purchase of excess power of 15 MW in Sorong. In addition, gas potential is also found on Salawati Island, which is not far from Sorong.
In Teluk Bintuni Regency there is also a very large natural gas potential and only 5 MW is used for electricity through excess power from Tangguh LNG to the load in Teluk Bintuni Regency. The electricity from Tangguh LNG through the excess power scheme can be increased to 8 MW. For the use of electricity with a larger capacity, it is estimated that it can only be implemented starting in 2023 after the new Tangguh LNG Train 3 and 4 projects are ready to operate.
Meanwhile, the potential for hydropower that can be developed into a hydropower plant is in Sorong Regency, namely the Warsamson hydropower plant of 20 MW. Currently, a re-feasibility study is being carried out to obtain the appropriate hydropower capacity, without compromising social issues.
In addition to the potential for water energy, there is the potential for developing solar energy both centrally (communally) and hybrid solar PV with a battery energy storage system (BESS). Hybrid PV PLTS with BESS is one of PLN’s programs in electrifying without using a distribution network, but using Electric Tubes (TaLis).
The condition of the electric power system in West Papua in general is still not well catered for and most of them still rely on oil-fired power plants. By considering local energy sources, where there are several gas sources such as in Bintuni and Salawati, the development of gas-fueled energy to meet electricity needs is a priority. Until 2030, it is planned to build a dual fuel or gas-fired power plant of 160 MW.
For the condition of the electric power system in the provincial capital, namely Manokwari, which still does not have sufficient reserves, the short-term mitigation is by extending the purchase of excess power. As for the electric power system in Sorong, which until now still relies on power supply from excess power from several companies and a small part from PLTD BBM, dual fuel PLTMG (gas and HSD) will be built in several district capitals, namely Sorong, Fak-Fak and Teluk Bintuni.
Taking into account the economic level of PLTMG development, several plans for PLTG/MG/GU power plant development will be replaced with EBT Base PLT plants. In addition, the Ex-Timika PLTU was moved to the Sorong location, where coal needs will be met by local coal sources in West Papua Province. To meet electricity demand until 2030, it is planned to build PLTU, PLTG/MG/GU, PLTA and PLTM
In the long term, the gas fuel for the PLTG/MG is expected to be obtained from the Tangguh gas/LNG allocation in Bintuni Bay. While waiting for the planned power plant to operate, the electricity system for the city of Sorong and its surroundings will be temporarily supplied from excess power and local PLTD.
In the development of EBT, it is planned that a quota of generating capacity can enter the system. This quota can later be fulfilled by the development of PLN’s power plants and the planned IPP power plant which has not yet entered the PPA stage. This power plan is expressed as a capacity quota spread over a system. The distributed capacity quota can be filled by potentials, both those already listed in the potential list and those that have not, if they have completed a feasibility study and a connection study verified by PLN and have the ability to finance development, and the price of electricity is in accordance with applicable regulations.
Especially for the power system in 3T areas (tertinggal, terdepan, terluar) isolated areas directly bordering with the neighbor countries, areas with small loads that have fuel transportation routes, which are not possible to be connected to the grid and the development of gas plants. is not economical and the development of EBT will not be built in the near future, then PLTD will be built according to the needs of developing electric power systems in these areas.
In order to increase the electrification ratio, service reliability and service hours, PLN plans that the entire electric power system in West Papua Province can operate 24 hours starting in 2021.
In addition, to ensure the reliability of power supply, PLN plans good and scheduled maintenance for all the existing power plants in the construction stage as well as those still in the planning stage. The plan to build a substation is carried out in line with the plan to build 150 kV transmissions in Sorong and Manokwari to distribute electricity from the generator to the load hub.