TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Electricity Company, PT PLN, is scheduled to receive a 240 megawatt (MW) power plant from Turkey, arriving in Medan in May 2017.

PLNs Director of Sumatra Regional Business, Amir Rosidin, said in a press release received by ANTARA on Thursday that the operation of the marine vessel power plant (MVPP) will result in surplus electricity supply in North Sumatra.

According to him, MVPP departed from Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday (April 23) and is expected to arrive in Medan, North Sumatra, within 21 days.

The operation of MVPP will increase the electricity supply reserves in North Sumatra province and improve electricity services.

"This MVPP will add 240 MW of electricity supply. Therefore, the power supply in North Sumatera system will be safe," Amir stated.

Currently, the average capacity of the northern Sumatra electricity system is 2,100 MW, and the highest peak load in May 2016 reached 2,075 MW.

Thus, with an additional 240 MW of power from the MVPP, the system will have a power reserve of approximately 265 MW.

"The MVPP is a quick solution to increase the electricity supply during Idul Fitri 2017," he noted.

Amir added that another effort made by PLN to strengthen Sumatras electricity system included building a steam power plant of Pangkalan Susu Unit 3 and 4 with a capacity of 220 MW each.

In terms of transmission, PLN is also building a 275 kilovolt Sumatran transmission network that will connect the power grid from southern, central, and northern Sumatra, he asserted.

"These efforts are expected to strengthen the electricity system in Sumatra and increase Indonesias electrification ratio to 97.2 percent by 2019," he revealed.

ANTARA