Jakarta, IO – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS) with a capacity of 192 megawatt peak (MWp) in Purwakarta. Built on 200-ha Cirata reservoir, it is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia and the third largest in the world, a historic achievement for Indonesia, per Setkab.go.id, Thu (9/11).
Jokowi said the PLTS construction was the result of inter-ministerial cooperation with state-run electricity company PLN, as well as collaboration with companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The PLTS will substantially increase the current electricity supply 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 optimized it could add approximately 1,000 MWp,” he said.
With existing technology, the Jokowi believes that all the potential for new renewable energy (EBT) in Indonesia can be utilized properly to help the country’s transition to green energy.
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“For example, in this solar plant there is also a windmill. 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,” he added.
“We can also overcome the challenge of locating potential new renewable energy which is 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.” (bp)