Pertamina-BPPT Teaming Up To Build Geothermal Power Plant

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) of the Kamojang Unit is cooperating  with the Technological Study and Application Center (BPPT) in  experiment to build a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 3 megawatts.

Under the cooperation scheme, the Kamojang unit of PGE will supply geothermal steam to a power generating plant now being built  and to be operated by BPPT, general manager of the Kamojang unit of PGE Wawan Darmawan told reportes here on Saturday .

Wawan said PGE provides the steam to support BPPT's research program of developing renewable energy.

"It would be like we have done with PT Indonesia Power (the subsidiary of the national power utility PLN). The difference is we are not selling the steam . This is a study on the application of technology in the use of geothermal in a small scale power plant," he said.

He said the mini power plant being built by BPPT is located in the working area of PGE's geothermal power plant in Kamojang.

"BPPT will operate the  power generating plant as the the capacity is limited  and experiment still is in progress. There has been no  talk on selling the power output," he said.

BPPT is scheduled to conduct trial operation of the plant in May.

The design of the plant was made by BPPT and its components are produced by PT Nusantara Turbin & Propulsi (NTP), PT Barata Indonesia,  and PT Pindad.

The Kamojang geothermal field, which  has been operated by the state oil and gas company Pertamina since 1983 holds one of the world's best geothermal reserves in quality.

The  Kamojang geothermal steam is dry and  with low humidity that the steam  could enter the turbine directly without certain chemical treatment.

Currently the Kamojang Unit of PGE has two units  geothermal power generating facilities including Unit 4 with a capacity of 60 MW each, and Unit  5 having a capacity of 35 MW. The  three other units -- Units 1, 2 and 3 are operated by PT Indonesia Power.

The 5 units of geothermal power plants in Kamojang have a total capacity of 235 MW,
Eko Agung Bramantyo, PGE's Vice President Operation and Engineering, said BPPT also is cooperating with PGE's Lahendong unit in North Sulawesi.

The binary system of 0.5 megawatts is used in the cooperation, Eko said.

Chairman of the Geothermal Association, Abadi Purnomo, said the cooperation between PGE and BPPT is "very positive"  to promote technological mastery.

Research agency could not master technology without  support from the industry , Abadi said.

BPPT and PGE began  cooperation in Kamojang in 2010. (WDY)