TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia will soon has its first floating Solar-Powered Power Plant, and is said to be the largest Solar-Powered Power Plant in Southeast Asia. Three international bank hs expressed its readiness to fund the project, which will be developed in Cirata Reservoir in West Java.

As quoted from the website of the Directorate General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, the Cirata Floating Solar-Powered Power Plant project is expected to operate in November 2022. The project has reached its financial close phase last August.

The new Power Plant will have a capacity of 145 MWac, with a considerably competitive price of 5.81 USD cents per-kWh.

The Cirata floating power plant is targeted to produce 245 million kWh of electricity annually. Therefore, the Cirata floating is predicted to be able to provide electricity to 50,000 houses and create 800 new jobs.

According to Director of state-owned electricity company PT PLN (Persero) Zulkifli Zaini, as quoted from the company's website, The financial close phase achievement was possible because of PLN's support as the buyer of the new power plant's electricity, and PT PJB (Pembangkit Jawa Bali) as the parent company of PT PJB Investasi (PJBI) and Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Masdar Solar Energi (PT PMSE).

Ever since the electricity sales and purchase contract was signed in January 2020, the Cirata floating power plant program continues to garner support from various parties,including from international banking institutions.

Three international banks, namely Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Societe Generale and Standard Chartered Bank have become the foreign funder of the project. The three banks provide financial suppor totalling up to USD 140 million.

The Cirata floating power plant project is also a joint venture project between PT PLN and an Arabic company Masdar.

SITI NUR RAHMAWATI