The visit was made to obtain information, such as the adequacy of supply and electricity network, electrification ratio, and the development plan for renewable energy electricity at the Solar Power Plant in Batam.
"Regarding the adequacy and demand for electricity in Batam, we can see from PLN Batam's plan that there will be additional capacity and transfer of substations to Batam. The long-term plan is the Sumatra-Batam interconnection, and should this investment be realized, then there will be an additional 2,000-3,000 MW, and this is very huge," Head of the Center for the Development of Free Trade Areas and Free Ports and Special Economic Zone at the BP Batam, Irfan Syakir Widyasa, noted in a statement here on Saturday.
Widyasa said that the solar power plant will be developed on a large scale, and it had been included in a national strategic project, with expectations of at least 40 MW in the Tembesi Reservoir and 720 MW in the Duriangkang Reservoir in this first phase.
"In future, it is planned that many major developments will be conducted to meet the needs in Batam, for which this electricity support is needed, like the development in Rempang according to the master plan, for which the requirement could reach 2,000 MW. Then, the data center in Nongsa. If 11 data centers have been realized, it will require 500 MW," he stated.
On the same occasion, Expert Auditor of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency, Reinaldy Agung, said this review was a follow-up to a limited meeting to discuss steps to anticipate the food and energy crisis, led by President Joko Widodo, on June 20, 2022.
“The current global condition is uncertain, causing world commodity prices to continue to rise. With regard to the availability aspect, particularly that of energy sources, Batam is very dependent on gas. If we look at it reserve-wise, actually, it will not even take 20 years from now for our gas to run out. Hence, indeed, transformation towards the use of new and renewable energy has become a necessity," he emphasized.
He also expressed belief that the need for electricity would increase in tandem with the population growth.
"Thus, immediate anticipatory measures must be taken, so that it is not too late to meet the increasing needs," he cautioned.
Electricity analyst at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Firdaus Pioneertha Ibo, affirmed that his administration also focused on the electrification ratio and the System Average Interruption Duration Index and System Average Interruption Frequency Index, under which approximately 20 islands had yet to be provided with electricity network in Batam, in particular, and Riau Islands, in general.
"In future, both from the de-dieselisation policy, the conversion from diesel power plant to solar power plant and/or also marine package grips, hopefully, it can encourage an increase in the electrification ratio as well," he concluded.
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Translator: Ilham Y P, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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