Geothermal and hydropower now make North Sumatra the most affordable place in Sumatra to produce green energy. There is still considerable geothermal and hydropower potential, albeit in smaller quantities.
However, they are numerous. As the saying goes, “a plate of rice consists of abundant rice grains.”
PT PAL, a state-owned shipbuilding company, also received an award for electricity. How come?
PT PAL won in the Essential Electricity Providers category. My guess is that PT PAL was able to build a floating power plant. I saw it with my own eyes. I inspected the first barge when it was nearly finished. Now, PT PAL has built three other floating power barges, huge power ships that generate electricity with oil or gas.
Should there be an electricity shortage, the “floating power plants” can ship there. Once it docks, the electricity is on.
In the past, floating generators were always imported. The last two spectacular floating generators were supplied by Turkey. You would not hear about this. All the rumpus was below the surface.
Another important thing is another award received by PLN’s “grandson,” PJBS, for the best Operation and Maintenance (O&M) category. You would know that some power plant owners would prefer to have the power plants managed by other companies, particularly companies that specialize in running and maintaining generators.
PJBS is a subsidiary company of PJB, and PJB is a subsidiary of PLN. Both PLN subsidiary companies, PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali and PT Indonesia Power, own all PLN generators. PJB has
now changed its name to Nusantara Power. So, that leaves us with both companies: Indonesia Power and Nusantara Power. Not only do they both have their own large generators, but they also own a large number of shares in many private power plants.
Although PJB has changed its name, its subsidiary, PJBS (S for services), retains its old name. I discovered that the President Director of PJBS is the person that I have been looking for.