Pertamina Geothermal Energy exceeds 2020 generation target

Kamojang geothermal power plant, Indonesia (source: Pertamina Geothermal Energy)

Alexander Richter 11 May 2021

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) reports that throughout 2020, the record of production of electricity equivalent or Electric Volume Produce for Geothermal has reached 4,618.27 GWh. The President Director of PGE, Ahmad Yuniarto, confirmed that this achievement was 14 percent higher than the target set in 2020, which was 4,044.88 GWh.

“The achievement above the target is due to the implementation of operation excellence which is supported by the implementation of the Geothermal Integrated Management System,” said Yuniarto in a statement to press this week.

This PGE achievement contributed 31 percent of the 2020 national geothermal production set by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of 14,774 Giga Watt Hour (GWh). In detail, the Kamojang Geothermal Area (AG) managed to record an electricity equivalent production of 1,650 GWh, or 13 percent higher than the 2020 RKAP target, which was 1,454 Gwh. AG Lahendong recorded the electricity equivalent production of 828 GWh, or 10 percent higher than the target of 754 GWh.

Then, AG Ulubelu noted the electricity equivalent production of 1,613 GWh or 21 percent higher than the target of 1,335 GWh. Then, AG Lumut Balai recorded the electricity equivalent of 442 GWh or 12 percent higher than the target of 395 GWh.

In addition to keep the power supply of the plant that has operated at this time, PGE also conduct a study in order to increase the installed capacity of geothermal energy for power generation from existing operations area. The areas that became the initial focus in this study were the Ulubelu Area (Lampung) and the Lahendong Area (North Sulawesi).

“PGE continues to be committed to increasing Renewable Energy (EBT) in the national energy mix to 23 percent by 2025 in the geothermal sector with a measurable business strategy to become a World Class Green Energy Company,” he said.

In the future, Yuniarto said that PGE has also targeted to operate a PLTP with an own operation capacity of 1.3 Giga Watt (GW) by 2030. Currently, PGE manages 15 Geothermal Working Areas, where in the working area geothermal electricity has been generated as large as 1877 MW. This consists of 672 MW which is operated by PGE, and 1205 MW which is managed through a Joint Operation Contract.

The geothermal installed capacity in the PGE Working Area contributes around 88 percent of the total installed geothermal capacity in Indonesia, with the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by around 9.5 million tons of CO2 per year.

Yuniarto said that saving is also one of the keys in facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020, from the planned operational cost budget, PGE can make operating cost efficiency by 9 percent.

“PGE also supports the government’s strategy in utilizing domestic products. For the application of the Domestic Component Level (TKDN), PGE has implemented the TKDN utilization of 63.39 percent, exceeding the target planned for 2020 by 25 percent,” he said.

Source: Viva