"We have succeeded in building one of the largest floating solar power plants in Southeast Asia and number three in the world," the president noted in his speech at the inauguration of the Cirata floating PLTS as accessed from the Presidential Secretariat network on Thursday.
According to Jokowi, the operation of the floating PLTS is a collaboration between the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry, Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry, state-owned electricity company PT PLN, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) company, Masdar.
He noted that this floating PLTS was one of Indonesia's dreams of building new and renewable energy plants on a large scale.
The Cirata floating PLTS adds to the existing electricity production capacity of the hydroelectric power plant (PLTA) in the local area that has reached one thousand megawatts (MW), the president stated.
"Cirata already has a hydroelectric power plant, with a capacity of one thousand MW, combined with 192 MWp from the floating PLTS. In the future, we aim to add another one thousand MWp," he remarked.
The head of state also welcomed the presence of PLTS and PLTA in Cirata that are projected to become a source of green energy supply.
"The hydropower can be used for green energy too. I am happy and proud to see the construction work of the floating PLTS in Cirata has been completed," he remarked.
The president believes that Indonesia is able to utilize the potential of new and renewable energy from several technologies available in the country, such as solar and wind-powered energy plants.
"We also have a wind generator. In order to mitigate the weather challenges, we build a smart grid to maintain the electricity (supply) amid weather changes," he explained.
In addition, Jokowi highlighted that the challenge of locating new and renewable energy far from the center of electricity demand can be overcome with a transmission line that connects each energy source to the economic center.
"The potential that exists in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi can be channeled to economic centers," he noted.
SOEs Minister Erick Thohir along with representatives from Masdar, the UAE, also accompanied the president at the event.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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