TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned power company, PLN, on Monday started the construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) storage at the Muara Tawar generation unit in Bekasi. PNL Director for strategic procurement and primary energy, Bagiyo Riawan, said that the CNG storage can lower fuel consumption during peak load.

"By utilizing Muara Tawar's CNG technology, PLN will be able to save up to 203,000 kiloliters of fuel oil, or equivalent to Rp1.78 trillion per year," Bagiyo said in the company's press release, Monday, July 1.

With the CNG storage, PLN will also be able to maximize the absorption of gas supplied by PGN and Pertamina EP.

President Director of Pembangkit Jawa-Bali, Susanto Purnomo, said that CNG Muara Tawar will use 20 mille-mille standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas supply from PGN through the South Sumatra-West Java pipeline II from Pertamina EP.

CNG Muara Tawar is expected to begin operations in December 2013. The storage is being constructed by a consortium of three companies; Pembangunan Perumahan, Odira and Adcomp.

According to Bagiyo the CNG Muara Tawar storage is the largest in the world. Previously, PLN has built similar CNG storage units in Jakabaring, Palembang and in Grati, East Java. PLN aims to operate six units peaker plants with CNG technology--in Jakabaring, Palembang; Sei Gelam, Jambi; Gresik, East Java; Grati, East Java; Tambak Lorok, Central Java and Muara Tawar, Bekasi.

AYU PRIMA SANDI