PLN plans 4.1 GW of new Kalimantan capacity, deploys temporary plants
Monday, July 6 2026 - 07:10 PM WIB
By Cepi Setiadi
State-owned electricity company PT PLN (Persero) plans to add around 4.1 GW of new generating capacity in Kalimantan under an accelerated Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), as the utility seeks to strengthen the reliability of the island's power system while addressing ongoing supply shortages.
PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said the expansion program comprises 71 power generation and energy storage projects to be developed over the medium to long term.
"The plan includes 10 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of around 1.5 GW, eight mini-hydro projects totaling 37 MW, two wind power projects with 70 MW, around 1.2 GW of solar power, approximately 0.5 GW of battery energy storage systems, 53 MW of biomass power, and a 250-MW nuclear power plant. In total, there are 71 projects with a combined capacity of around 4.1 GW," Darmawan told a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission XII last week.
He said the accelerated RUPTL is intended to anticipate future electricity demand growth while improving system reliability across Kalimantan.
In the near term, PLN is focusing on restoring supply in the Khatulistiwa power system in West Kalimantan, which is currently facing a power deficit following technical problems at several independent power producer (IPP) plants.
The situation has been compounded by disruptions to electricity imports from Sarawak, Malaysia, after a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant there experienced technical problems, resulting in power outages on the Malaysian side.
"Several IPP plants in the Khatulistiwa system are experiencing technical constraints, and we have been coordinating closely with our partners. At the same time, electricity imports from Sarawak have also been affected because one of their CCGT plants is experiencing technical problems," Darmawan said.
To mitigate the shortfall, PLN has deployed its own generating units to temporarily replace the unavailable IPP capacity while accelerating repair works at the affected plants. The company has also dispatched technical teams to work directly with IPP operators to speed up the recovery process.
Similar measures have also been implemented in the interconnected power systems covering South, Central and East Kalimantan, where PLN has mobilized its own generating assets to compensate for outages at partner-owned power plants. According to Darmawan, the supply deficit in the Khatulistiwa system has continued to narrow as repair works progress. "There is still a slight deficit, but it is being reduced week by week," he said.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak