Wärtsilä to Supply 184 MW Peaking Gas Power Plant to Indonesia

The Arun power plant with a 184 MW operating capacity will be the largest gas engine based peaking power plant in Indonesia. This order further strengthens Wärtsilä’s global position as one of the leading suppliers of large gas powered power plants of up to 500 MW. Wärtsilä power plant solutions are based on modern combustion engine technology, which provides superior flexibility and high efficiency at any load. These unique features enable the maximum use of intermittent renewable energy sources, while meeting the increasing demand for peak load.

Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the engineering and equipment for a new power plant under construction in Indonesia. The project is being handled on a fast-track basis, and the plant is scheduled to be handed over and in full operation in March 2015. The contract was signed in the third quarter 2013.

The order has been placed by PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk., a government owned company and one of Indonesia’s biggest construction contractors, who is building the plant on behalf of PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), the state utility company. The power will be generated by a total of 19 Wärtsilä 34SG engines running on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The power plant will be built in Lhokseumawe in Aceh Special District in northern Sumatra. The electricity produced will be used to stabilise the grid. The power plant will also strengthen the Aceh Special District electricity system so as to ensure a reliable electricity supply to consumers during peak loads.

“Wärtsilä has been selected as the preferred supplier by the customer, based on our proven capability to deliver high quality, extremely efficient, and flexible power plant solutions on a fast-track basis,” says Sushil Purohit, Regional Director South-East Asia & Australia, Wärtsilä Power Plants. “When completed, the Arun gas power plant will be able to strengthen the Aceh electricity system and will support PT PLN’s effort to bring reliable electricity to the consumers. This important project will further enhance awareness of the efficiency and flexibility of Wärtsilä’s power plant solutions in the Asian market.”

This is already the second contract Wärtsilä Power Plants has received from Indonesia this year. The first one was booked in the second quarter 2013 for a 155 MW gas engine based peaking plant owned by PT PLN. Wärtsilä will supply 16 Wärtsilä 34SG engines to the plant which will be located in Bangkanai in Central Kalimantan. It is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2014 and will produce electricity to the Kalimantan grid.

Wärtsilä has a strong presence in Indonesia, with some 3 GW of installed power in operation. These, and all Wärtsilä installations, are supported by the company’s global service network. Wärtsilä has service agreements for over 350 MW of power generating capacity in Indonesia.

The new 184 MW Arun power plant, which will be utilised to handle the increasingly fluctuating power demand in the region, illustrates the need for Smart Power Generation. Smart Power Generation is a new concept that enables an existing power system to operate at maximum efficiency by effectively absorbing current and future system load variations. At the same time, it provides significant savings on the system level and, thus, also for consumers.