The Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR) has announced the completion of the Rp 2.06 trillion (US$ 133 million) Cipanas Dam in Sumedang regency, West Java, that is expected to contribute to water, food and energy security while simultaneously fostering new economic growth for its surrounding communities.
“In addition to serving as an irrigation source to increase planting intensity, supply raw water, and control floods and energy [hydroelectric power plants], the dam can also become an iconic area, generating new tourist destinations and triggering local economic growth,” Minister of Public Works and Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.
Spokesman for the Public Works and Housing Ministry, Endra S. Atmawidjaja, said the construction of the Cipanas Dam began in November 2016 and was completed in December 2023. The dam has a storage capacity of 251 million m3, approximately 10 times larger than the Kuningan Dam, and is currently ready for inauguration.
“The dam’s current fill rate has reached 10 percent, and its storage volume continues to increase during the rainy season. It is ready to be inaugurated,” explained Endra.
Upon its completion, the Cipanas Dam is expected to provide irrigation for an area of 9,273 hectares in the Sumedang and Indramayu regencies, particularly in the Cipanas, Cikawung, and Cibunut Irrigation Areas (DI). The dam will also meet the needs for raw water of 850 liters/second in the Rebana Metropolitan region, covering Cirebon-Patimban-Kertajati, located in the Indramayu and Sumedang regencies.
To meet the raw water needs, the dam has been designed to provide 650 liters per second for industrial areas in the Sumedang Regency and 200 liters per second for drinking water needs in the Terisi District, Indramayu Regency.
Dwi Agus Kuncoro, the Head of the Cimanuk – Cisanggarung River Management Office (BBWS), said the dam also served as a 3 MW micro-hydro power plant (PLTMH) and flood control, reducing flood discharge by 84 percent, equivalent to about 243 m3/second or reducing the flooded area by 700 hectares. “It is hoped that this dam will truly support the development of the Rebana region, both in terms of irrigation supply and other non-irrigation benefits, thus providing an impact on local economic development, especially for the development of industrial areas in the northern part of Sumedang,” said Dwi Agus.
The Cipanas Dam is an embankment dam with 71 meters in height, 361 meters in length, and a reservoir area of 1,316 hectares. The construction was carried out by PT Wijaya Karya in collaboration with PT Jaya Konstruksi and PT Brantas Abipraya, with a total construction cost of Rp2.06 trillion.
