Pertamina starts drilling for Lumut Balai Unit 3 geothermal power project in Indonesia
Drilling of the first welll for the Lumut Balai Unit 3 geothermal power plant has started in South Sumatra, Indonesia as Pertamina pushes to expand capacity.
Drilling of the first well has officially started for the planned 55-MW Lumut Balai Unit 3 geothermal power plant by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGEO) in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The first well, LMB-19.3, is expected to be completed within 43 days.
The start of drilling operations follows shortly after news of infrastructure preparation and a kick-off meeting for the Lumut Balai Unit 3 project, both just earlier this year. The Lumut Balai Unit 3 geothermal power plant has a target commercial operations date (COD) by 2030.
During a special prayer and thanksgiving ceremony held to commemorate the start of drilling, PGE Unit 3 & 4 Project Manager, Heri Susanto said that the project will create job opportunities for various professionals while prioritizing the involvement of local workers in its implementation. He also assured that all stages of project development will be done with a focus on Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) principles, good corporate governance, and sustainability values.
Unit 2 of the Lumut Balai geothermal power complex came online in July 2025. Since then, expansion plans have proceeded quite quickly. Aside from drilling work ongoing for Unit 3, PGEO has also started exploration activities for the Unit 4 expansion. Both Unit 3 and Unit 4 of Lumut Balai have received financing from international institutions, helping PGEO maintain a healthy funding structure for the company amidst an active expansion campaign.
