The huge Cirata reservoir, commonly known as Waduk Cirata, located in West Java is the home of two big green energy power plants in Indonesia – the newly commissioned 192 MWp solar plant and the 1000 MW hydro power plant.
The 6200-hectare (62 Km2) reservoir is located along the River Citarum.
Based on geological surveys that began in 1922 along the River Citarum and further surveys conducted by Dutchman W. J. van Blommestien, in 1948 he identified the Cirata area as a potential site for constructing a reservoir and a hydropower plant.
The Cirata Hydro Power Plant
It was not until 1981 that Indonesia decided to construct a hydropower plant in Cirata.
To make way for the construction of the Cirata reservoir, 6335 families located in 20 villages were relocated.
The main dam of the Cirata reservoir was completed on 1 September 1987.
Initially, the MW Cirata hydropower plant was completed with 250 MW capacity in early 1988.
Its capacity was increased to 500 MW later in the same year, 750 MW in 1997, and finally 1000 MW in 1998, making it the biggest hydropower plant in Indonesia.
The Floating Cirata Solar Farm
President Joko Widodo of Indonesia inaugurated the huge floating Cirata solar farm on November 9, 2023.
The 192 megawatt peak (MWp) Cirata solar plant, the largest floating solar plant in Southeast Asia is located in Cirata reservoir in West Java. The project is a collaboration between Masdar of UAE and Indonesia’s national power company, PLN.
The solar farm, comprised of 13 clusters, is powered by 340,000 solar panels capable of supplying 768 Mwh/day of electricity to 50,000 houses. The green power plant reduces 214,000 tons of CO2 emission per year.
Currently occupying only 4% of the reservoir surface area, the plant capacity may be increased to 1000 MWp in the future.
Epilogue
Today, with the newly completed solar farm, Waduk Cirata is indeed a magnificent site to behold.
It is also a significant site as it is home to two big green energy power plants.
This article is adapted from various sources by Jamin Djuang, Chief Learning Officer of LDI Training.
