Coal Power Plants Not Biggest Contributor to Jakarta Air Pollution, Says PLN

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia Power, a subsidiary of state-owned electricity company PLN or PLN IP, rejected the notion that its coal-fired steam power plants (PLTU) are among the major contributors to air pollution in Jakarta and its vicinity. PLN IP Director Edwin Nugraha Putra said the PLTUs near Jakarta had adopted environmentally friendly technology.

“[We have installed] an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) and a Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS),” Edwin said in a written statement on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

The technology, he explained, is installed in each power plant's chimney to ensure that exhaust emissions, including PM 2.5, can be optimally suppressed. PM 2.5 are airborne particles that are 2.5 microns or less in width.

“The efficiency of ash filtration with ESP can reach 99.99 percent,” Edwin claimed.

In addition to ESP, PLN IP installed Low NOx Burners and used low-sulfur coal or coal blends at each PLTU. Therefore, the emissions released from the PLTUs are always safe and below the threshold of quality standards set in the Environment and Forestry Minister’s Regulation Number 15/2019.

Edwin mentioned that the CEMS monitoring as of August 15, 2023, showed that the emissions were still below the quality standards. Besides, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry honored the PLTUs with the Proper award, which indicates the success achieved by the operating units in implementing the initiative beyond compliance in environmental management.

“KLHK has awarded PLTU at least nine gold ratings, 10 green ratings, and 2 blue ratings in 2022,” Edwin said.

The power plants supporting the electricity needs of Jakarta and parts of West Java include PLTU Suralaya 1-7, PLTU Banten 1 Suralaya, PLTU Lontar, and PLTU Pelabuhan Ratu.

AMELIA RAHIMA SARI

Editor's Choice: Australia's Oldest Coal-fired Power Plant Closed

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News