Indonesia is taking significant steps toward developing a supergrid to address the imbalance between renewable electricity supply and demand. The supergrid will connect renewable energy sources across islands, enhancing system reliability, increasing the renewable energy mix, and improving generation cost efficiency.
The supergrid development plan includes both intra-island and inter-island interconnections. Intra-island connections involve strengthening the transmission networks in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi, while inter-island connections will link major islands such as Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.
Jisman, a key figure in the project, emphasized that the supergrid will support Indonesia’s goal of increasing its renewable energy mix from 20% in 2024 to 82% by 2060. The Sumatra-Java interconnection, with a planned 1680 km transmission line, is crucial for evacuating clean energy sources like geothermal and hydro power from Sumatra to Java, requiring an investment of $4.28 billion.
In Kalimantan, the supergrid will connect the region’s separated systems and channel renewable energy to load centers, including the new Indonesian capital. The project demands an investment of $1.8 billion. Similarly, in Sulawesi, the supergrid will support the energy needs of the smelter industry, with a required investment of $1.8 billion.
Jisman highlighted the importance of exploring alternative financing mechanisms beyond the state-owned electricity company (PLN) budget and encouraged private sector partnerships, including foreign investment, to realize the supergrid’s potential in transforming Indonesia’s energy landscape.
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