Bali power plants soon to use natural gas

DENPASAR. PT Bali Global Energi (BGE) says that it has purchased a Rp 700 billion (US$73 million) tanker to house a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in Buleleng.

The tanker is in Sabah, Malaysia, and will be brought to Bali when construction of the FSRU complex is complete. “We expect that all supporting facilities will be ready in the next six months,” PT BGE president director Ketut Susantha said in Denpasar as quoted by tempo.co.

The company will build pipes to distribute the natural gas to power plants in Pemaron in Buleleng and Gilimanuk in Jembrana that produce 170 megawatts and 130 megawatts respectively, while using a boat to ship gas to the Pesanggrahan power plant in Denpasar that produces 190 megawatts.

The natural gas is expected to replace the consumption of diesel fuel in three power plants in Bali.

According to Susantha, the conversion from diesel to natural gas will save Rp 6.7 trillion. “The natural gas also gives less negative impact to our environment,” he said.

PT Bali Global Energi is cooperating with investors from Thailand and Hong Kong for the Rp 3.5 trillion project. (The Jakarta Post)