Inaugurates Cirata Floating PLTS, President: Southeast Asia's Largest, Third in the World

INDUSTRY co.id - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated the 192 MWp Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS), Thursday (09/11/2023) in Purwakarta Regency, West Java. 

The President said this infrastructure is the largest floating PLTS in Southeast Asia and the third in the world.

"Today is a historic day, because our big dream of building new renewable energy [EBT] plants on a large scale can finally be realized. "And, we succeeded in building one of the largest floating solar power plants in Southeast Asia and number three in the world," said the President.

The President said that the operation of the floating PLTS could be carried out with the cooperation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), PT PLN Persero, and Masdar from the United Arab Emirates. The existence of this PLTS, said the President, will increase the electricity supply which currently has a capacity of 1,000MW.

" In Cirata there is already a hydroelectric power plant with a capacity of 1,000 MW and now there is a floating solar power plant of 192 MWp. In the future, if maximized it could add approximately 1,000 MWp. "So, later the hydropower can be used as green energy too," he said.

Furthermore, the President also encouraged the utilization of all new renewable energy (EBT) potential in Indonesia. By utilizing currently available technology, the President is optimistic that Indonesia can overcome the challenges in developing new renewable energy.

" For example, in this solar plant there is also a wind generator. In the process there are weather challenges, but we can overcome them by building a smart grid  , so that even though the weather changes the electricity remains stable. We can also overcome the challenge of locating potential new renewable energy far from the center of electricity demand. " We can build a solution with a transmission line and then we can channel any potential EBT in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi to economic centers," he said.

Present at the inauguration were, among others, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, Minister of BUMN Erick Thohir, Main Director of PLN Darmawan Prasodjo, and Acting. 

West Java Governor Bey Triadi Machmudin. Also present was the Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates Thani bin Ahmed al Zeyoudi. (FID/UN)