Indonesia's Sarulla geothermal power plant starts commercial operation

The plant will provide approximately 110MW.

Toshiba Corporation and Ormat Technologies Inc. announced that the first unit of the Sarulla geothermal power plant, one of the world’s largest power plants, located in Indonesia’s North Sumatra, has commenced commercial operation.

The approximately 110 MW power plant, which combines flash and binary technologies to provide a high efficiency power plant and 100% reinjection of the exploited geothermal fluid, is operated by Sarulla Operations Ltd. (SOL).

As participants in the project, Toshiba supplied the geothermal steam turbines and generators (STGs) for the flash systems, while Ormat provided the conceptual design of the Geothermal Combined Cycle Unit (GCCU) power plant and supplied its Ormat Energy Converter (OEC), which serve as the condensing units for the steam turbines and utilize the separated brine for maximum resource exploitation and maximum power output. 

Demand for electricity in Indonesia is increasing in tandem with its robust economic development. Under its 2005-2025 National Energy Blueprint, the government aims to diversify the country’s energy mix and to increase energy generated by geothermal sources to over 5% of total capacity. Indonesia has an estimated 40% of the world’s geothermal energy reserves. Toshiba and Ormat will continue to collaborate in contributing to meet its growing demand.

Toshiba and Ormat have fostered a cooperative relationship through the Sarulla project. After signing a Strategic Collaboration Agreement in 2015, the companies also won orders to supply STG and OEC, respectively, for Unit 2 of the Kizildere III Geothermal Combined Cycle Unit Power Plant in Turkey. This project is now making smooth progress.