Pangkalan Susu power station

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Pangkalan Susu power station is an operating power station of at least 840-megawatts (MW) in Pasir, Pangkalan Susu, Langkat, North Sumatra, Indonesia. It is also known as 印尼国电棉兰电站二期 (Phase II), 庞卡兰苏苏电站.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Pangkalan Susu power station	Pasir, Pangkalan Susu, Langkat, North Sumatra, Indonesia	4.12071, 98.25823 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

Loading map...

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 4.12071, 98.25823

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year
Unit 1	operating	coal: unknown	220	subcritical	2015
Unit 2	operating	coal: unknown	220	subcritical	2014
Unit 3	operating	coal: unknown	200	subcritical	2019
Unit 4	operating	coal: unknown	200	subcritical	2019

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Unit 1	PT Indonesia Power [100%]	PT PLN (Persero) [100.0%]
Unit 2	PT Indonesia Power [100%]	PT PLN (Persero) [100.0%]
Unit 3	PT PLN (Persero) [100%]	PT PLN (Persero) [100.0%]
Unit 4	PT PLN (Persero) [100%]	PT PLN (Persero) [100.0%]

Financing

• Source of financing: Units 3 and 4: US$373,009,532 in debt from China's Exim Bank; US$65,551,000 in equity from the Indonesian government

Background

The Pangkalan Susu power station is a two-unit, 440-MW coal-fired power plant being built by PLN. Unit 2 went online in July 2014, and Unit 1 was in testing as of February 2015. In June 2015, PLN said that Unit 1 was operating.

The introduction of the plant was delayed in February 2015, after steel was stolen from the three of the plant's transmission towers, causing them to collapse. It was unclear whether the person responsible was trying to steal and sell the metal, or trying to stop the plant from operating.

In August 2018, PT PLN Persero announced that Units 1 and 2 of the plant would henceforth be operated by Indonesia Power.

As of April 2024, the power station reportedly supplied 29% of North Sumatra's energy needs.

As of July 2024, Pangkalan Susu power station co-fired 3% municipal waste.

Phase II Expansion

In July 2013, PLN announced that it had signed a construction contract with Chinese company Sinohydro to build two additional 200-MW coal-fired units at the plant. At the time, PLN stated that it hoped to bring both units into operation in early 2017. In June 2014, the Indonesian Ministry of Finance approved financing arrangements for the two units' construction. An updated construction schedule was not given at the time.

Google map images in late 2015 show site preparation underway south of Units 1 and 2. The 2015-2024 PLN long-range plan shows these units coming online in 2018 and 2019. The 2017-2026 long range plan (page VI-40) lists the project as under construction with completion expected in 2018 and 2019. Google Earth images dated May 28, 2017 show boiler erection has begun. The 2019-2028 long-range plan lists Units 3 and 4 as beginning operations in 2019. Unit 3 was commissioned in June 2019 and Unit 4 was commissioned in September 2019.

Financing for Units 3 and 4

In December 2014, a financing agreement for units 3 and 4 was closed. China's Exim Bank agreed to provide a US$373,009,532 loan, and the Indonesian government agreed to provide US$65,551,000 in equity.

Opposition and impact

Fisherfolk protest the Pangkalan Susu coal plant, June 2019.

In June 2019 fisherfolk staged a protest near the plant and called on the government to close the plant and move away from using fossil fuels. Protestors blamed the existing Pangkalan Susu plant for contributing to the deforestation of mangrove forests, increased soil erosion, lost water sources, and air pollution.

In February 2021, The Clean North Sumatra Community Alliance held a protest in front of PLN's offices demanding an investigation into the Pangkalan Susu power station. The protesters claim that the power station is engaging in corrupt practices, including marking up prices and attempting to monopolize local labor markets.

In October 2022, a community discussion was held with environmental organizers and public lawyers, focused on creating action around the impact of coal-fired power stations on the island of Sumatra, titled "Humanitarian Disaster at Pangkalan Susu" (Google translate).

In December 2022, an article described the negative impact that Pangkalan Susu power station has had on the surrounding community. One resident alleged that nine villagers' deaths could be directly attributed to fly ash and bottom ash from the power station. A teacher in Sungai Siur village stated that students have become ill due to the power station's fine particulates entering the air. Residents stated that they were being faced with large costs for medicine to treat skin infections, bleeding and hives. Farmers alleged that the soil quality in the area changed and that harvests had reduced from multiple in a year to just one per year. Additionally, fishers in the community stated that they had to travel farther away from their homes because hot water discharged from the power station into the fishing area severely impacted which species were able to live there.

In November 2023, local residents held an action outside of Pangkalan Susu power station, expressing various environmental and public health concerns. Organizers called for the power station to be closed as soon as possible. Dozens of women, reportedly victims of pollution from Pangkalan Susu power station, participated in the demonstration with the dual goals of having the coal plant's operating permit revoked and making climate change a central topic for Indonesia's 2024 general election.

A December 2023 article featured many testimonies from women in the community surrounding Pangkalan Susu power station.

In January 2024, Konsorsium Sumatera Terang untuk Energi Bersih (STuEB) (Bright Sumatra Consortium for Clean Energy) reported three coal plants, including Pangkalan Susu power station, to the UN High Commission for Human Rights. The UN commission reportedly discussed the power stations' violations to rights to life and health, rights to the environment, and rights to livelihoods of communities. The complaint stated that 659 traditional fishermen had changed professions due to the presence of Pangkalan Susu power station. 3,000 people reportedly went to the local community health center per year due to respiratory issues. A report filed with Indonesia's Ministry of Environment & Forestry regarding heat pollution into nearby waterways in May 2023 was allegedly pending for eight months before being rejected in January 2024. STuEB requested that the UN conduct their own field inspections in order to verify the complaints.

In September 2024, nearby residents were concerned by thick smoke emitted by Pangkalan Susu power station. PLN responded to the complaint, stating that the dark color was caused by oil used as a start-up fuel.

In December 2024, an article recounted that fishermen working near Pangkalan Susu power station had to travel one and a half hours out to sea in order to catch fish. Residents were also concerned about the destruction of coastal mangroves and the coral reefs damaged by coal spills. One fisherman stated: "Sometimes, the sea water in our area is black and hot".

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.