The 2GW Batang ultra-supercritical (USC) power plant under construction in the Batang district of Central Java, Indonesia is one of the biggest coal-fired power projects in Southeast Asia.

The Batang power plant, also known as the Central Java power plant (CJPP), is being developed on a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis by Bhimasena Power Indonesia (BPI).

Bhimasena Power Indonesia (BPI) is a joint venture of Japan’s Electric Power Development Company Limited (J-Power, 34%), Adaro Power (34%) and Itochu Corporation (32%).

The environmental clearance for the project was received in August 2013, while the financial closure was achieved in June 2016.

Construction works on the £3bn ($4.2bn) project were started in the second half of December 2017 with the commissioning of both the coal-fired generating units expected by the end of 2020.

Location and site details

The Batang coal-fired power station is being built on a 226ha-site, approximately 10km northeast of Batang Regency, in the Central Java province of Indonesia.

Batang power plant make-up 

The Batang power plant comprises two coal-fired generating units of 1,000MW capacity each. Each unit is equipped with an ultra-supercritical coal-fired boiler, a steam turbine, and a generator.

Both the units will be fitted with low NOx burners, electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) and flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) units to control emissions.

Other components of the power station include a switchyard, a coal handling plant, an ash handling plant, a coal storage facility, an ash disposal area as well as water intake and drainage facilities. 

Power evacuation and purchase agreement 

The electricity generated by the 2GW Central Java power plant will be evacuated into the national grid through a 63km-long 500kV transmission line.

Bhimasena Power Indonesia entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) for the Batang power plant with Indonesia’s state-owned electricity distribution company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) in October 2011. An amendment to the PPA was signed between both the parties in August 2016. 

Coal supply for the Central Java power plant

The Batang power plant is estimated to require 7.3 million tonnes (MT) of sub-bituminous coal a year. A 2.4km long jetty has been built adjacent to the plant site for unloading coal as well as construction equipment for the power plant.

Batang coal-fired power project finance 

The Batang ultra-supercritical thermal power project is being funded by £2.4bn ($3.4bn) of loan provided by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and a syndicate of nine commercial banks.

The lenders for the project include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi (BTMU), the Mizuho Bank, the DBS Bank, the Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, the Mitsubishi Trust Banking Corporation, and Shinsei dan Norinchukin. 

Contractors involved with the Central Java power project 

Sumitomo Corporation was awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the Batang power plant in June 2016.

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) was the supplier of ultra-supercritical pressure boilers for the plant. Clyde Bergemann was subcontracted by MHPS for the delivery boiler cleaning equipment along with 260 soot blowers for the project.

Jurong Engineering Lestari (PJTEL) was subcontracted by Sumitomo Corporation for the mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation erection works for the project in 2016.

Jurong Engineering Lestari subcontracted Sarens for the installation of turbines and generators.