Tasikmalaya - Karaha Unit I Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) owned by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) with a capacity of 30 MW has been operating commercially on April 6, 2018. The electricity production of Karaha PLTP Unit I will illuminate 33 thousand houses in Tasikmalaya and surrounding areas. This achievement is a realization of the 35,000 MW program launched by the government, which will improve the reliability of the Java-Bali transmission system with an additional electricity supply of 227 gigawatt hour (GWh) per year.
According to PGE Corporate Secretary Tafif Azimudin, the total investment of Karaha PLTP Unit I is close to US $ 200 million, including drilling, piping, construction of power plants and transmission lines until the commercial operation date. During this PLTP construction project, PGE drilled as many as 10 wells, including injection wells and monitor wells.
"Karaha Unit I PLTP is the most complete project. Where PGE is working on its own, starting from sub-surface, exploration, piping, power plant to the 25 KM electricity transmission tower, "he explained. The construction of the Karaha PLTP project also provides direct benefits to the community around the project which is realized in the Community Development program in the fields of education, social, health, and community empowerment with funding of Rp. 830 million in 2017.
In addition to contributing to community development, PLTP Karaha also contributes greatly to Increasing Regional Original Revenue (PAD) through depositing the Production Bonus directly to the Regional General Treasury. In its development, PLTP Karaha also utilizes clean and environmentally friendly energy. Its utilization will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 202 thousand tons of CO2 / year.
With the operation of PGE's Karaha PLTP, the total installed capacity of PGE is 617 MW, consisting of Kamojang-West Java 235 MW, Lahendong-North Sulawesi 120 MW, Ulubelu-Lampung 220 MW, Sibayak-North Sumatra 12 MW and Karaha-West Java 30 MW.
