Indonesia pushes Super Grid using HVDC power technology

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government is advancing the development of an inter-island electricity transmission network using High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology, as part of the Indonesia Super Grid project.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources emphasized the importance of collaboration between domestic and international partners to develop an efficient policy framework, secure green financing, and ensure public engagement for the project’s success.

Muhadi, the ministry’s Coordinator for Electrical Transmission Planning, said one of the key initiatives—the Sumatra-Java Interconnection—is currently in progress. This project aims to deliver renewable energy generated in Sumatra to high-demand areas in Java.

HVDC technology, both via overhead lines and undersea cables, has been identified as the most viable technical solution. It enables faster integration of smart grid systems and supports greater penetration of Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) sources such as solar and wind—key elements in Indonesia’s national energy transition strategy.

In addition to HVDC, development of a 500 kV High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) transmission network is underway in Sumatra.

Meanwhile, in Kalimantan, the government is eyeing the vast renewable potential of 13 gigawatts (GW) from two hydropower plants in the Kayan and Mentarang rivers. A large-scale transmission network is needed to distribute this energy to Java and to support the smelter industry in Sulawesi.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia has outlined plans for building 47,758 circuit kilometers (ckm) of power transmission infrastructure over the next decade.

The network will connect renewable power plants to substations operated by state utility PLN, and from there, supply electricity to distribution networks and end users.

The Java-Madura-Bali region is slated to have the longest transmission expansion at 13,900 ckm, followed by Sumatra (11,200 ckm), Kalimantan (9,800 ckm), and Sulawesi (9,000 ckm).

To strengthen power systems in eastern Indonesia, the government also plans to build an additional 3,900 ckm of transmission lines in Maluku, Papua, and Nusa Tenggara.