Tidal Bridge BV, an energy company from the Netherlands, resumes its plan to build a tidal energy power plant integrated with the Pancasila-Palmerah Bridge in Larantuka Strait in East Nusa Tenggara.
The Dutch company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with state-owned electricity company PT PLN on October 31, 2019. Tidal Bridge has partnered with state construction firm PT Wijaya Karya Tbk and PLN’s subsidiary PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali (PJB) to execute the project. The former, however, will fully own the project.
“Based on a study by the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the tidal energy power plant may have a capacity of 30 MW (megaWatts),” Tidal Bridge Managing Director Latif Gau told Indonesia Business Post on June 15, 2022.
PLN will purchase all the power generated by the tidal energy power plant for US$10 per kilowatt-hour.
“PLN wants this price; if not, it will not purchase the power,” he said, adding that the electricity will be connected to the East Flores’ power grid from Larantuka to Labuan Bajo.
The tidal power plant will cost the company approximately US$225 million or around IDR4 trillion. The loan from the Dutch government will finance the entire project.
“The Dutch government provided the soft loan since the technology comes from the country and it is a renewable energy source,” Gau said.
According to Gau, the construction of the project will begin soon since the company has conducted connectivity, feasibility and environmental impact study.
“We need a contract agreement with PLN. Previously, we have had problems because PLN changed their directors several times,” he said.
The power plant is expected to be operational by 2024 or early 2025.
Gau said the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed preparations for the development of the project but it would resume soon.
Previously, the tidal energy power plant had been included in PLN’s electricity procurement business plan (RUPTL) but this was not reflected in the 2021 plan.
PLN CEO, Darmawan Prasodjo, welcomed the proposal enthusiastically, urging the parties involved to discuss and implement the project.
In addition, Gau said he had met with Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in the Netherlands and discussed the continuation of the project. Pandjaitan will also announce the project at the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022 since it is related to sustainable energy.
