State electricity company PT PLN, through its subholding PLN Nusantara Power (PLN NP), signed a Joint Development Study Agreement (JDSA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) energy company Masdar, to increase the capacity of the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS).
In this JDSA, PLN NP will study the potential to increase the capacity of Cirata Solar Power Plant up to three times more or reach 500 Megawatt Alternating Current (MWAc).
The signing of the JDSA between PLN NP and Masdar was held on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) Summit 2024 in Bali and witnessed by UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said that the company fully supports PLN NP’s steps as one of the largest generation subholdings in Southeast Asia to continue accelerating the energy transition agenda in the country, one of them is by increasing the new renewable energy mix in the PLN Group generation environment.
“To support the energy transition towards Net Zero Emissions, PLN has implemented the Accelerated Renewable Energy Development (ARED) strategy with a target of 75 percent renewable energy-based generation capacity addition and the remaining 25 percent gas-based,” Darmawan said in a statement on May 29, 2024.
Darmawan emphasized that collaboration with all parties is needed, including with a global energy company whose role is very important in increasing EBT generating capacity. This includes continuing the PLN-Masdar collaboration which has previously built the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant with a capacity of 192 Megawatt peak (MWp) and is the largest floating solar power plant in Southeast Asia.
“This is an international collaboration in accelerating the energy transition. Climate change is a global problem, so global solutions are also needed in the form of collaboration,” Darmawan said.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Masdar Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said he was proud to be able to continue collaboration in developing renewable energy in Indonesia with PLN. He hopes that this time JDSA can significantly increase the capacity of Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant.
“The UAE is committed to advancing Indonesia’s energy sector which focuses on renewable energy. In line with the UAE Consensus reached at COP28, Masdar is dedicated to establishing partnerships that open transformative solutions for clean energy access,” Jameel Al Ramahi said.
Meanwhile, PLN Nusantara Power President Director Ruly Firmansyah said that this JDSA will play an important role in EBT development efforts in Indonesia, especially for Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant which has great potential to be developed.
Currently only 4 percent of the maximum 20 percent of the surface area of Cirata lake can be utilized.
“PLN Nusantara Power in collaboration with Masdar has built and operated the third largest floating solar power plant in the world. Currently, we are taking a strategic step by forming a study to increase the capacity of the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant as a commitment in realising clean energy and Net Zero Emissions,” Ruly said.
Inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in November 2023, the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant is the result of investment cooperation between PLN NP’s subsidiary, PLN Nusantara Renewables (PLN NR) and Masdar. In this project, PLN NR controls 51 percent of the shares and Masdar 49 percent.
This plant is capable of producing 245 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy per year, electrifying more than 50,000 homes and reducing 214,000 tons of CO2 per year.
