State-owned electricity company PT PLN (Persero), through its engineering consultancy subsidiary PLN Enjiniring, is set to implement carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at three coal-fired power plants (PLTUs) and a combined-cycle power plant (PLTGU) as part of its efforts to reduce emissions.
Chairani Rachmatullah, President Director of PLN Enjiniring, stated that the company is conducting feasibility studies at PLTU Suralaya (units 1-7) in Banten, PLTU Indramayu (units 1-3) in West Java, PLTU Tanjung Jati B in Jepara, and PLTGU Tambak Lorok (blocks 1-2) in Semarang.
"By 2030, we aim to begin implementing CCS at these four locations," Chairani told the media on Saturday.
PLN plans to achieve 2 gigawatts of CCS-enabled capacity by 2040, as part of its broader goal to integrate CCS or carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies into 19 gigawatts of capacity by 2060.
However, CCS implementation remains costly, with an estimated $40 per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2), which translates to a production cost of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. This exceeds PLN's maximum production cost limit of 8 cents per kWh, requiring the company to carefully balance financial feasibility with the goal of avoiding electricity price hikes for consumers.
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"This doesn't mean we won't move forward with CCS—we will. We're exploring long-term partnership roadmaps to support this initiative," Chairani added.
PLN has not yet finalized the investment costs for its CCS projects. Chairani noted that, based on industry references, building CCS facilities could be as expensive as constructing a new coal-fired power plant, potentially doubling electricity production costs. Meanwhile, PLN continues to explore renewable energy sources to help reduce emissions.
Muhammad Rachmat Sule, a senior lecturer at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), highlighted the global challenges of CCS deployment. He pointed to existing projects like the Boundary Dam Power Station in Saskatchewan, Canada, which has eight power units but only one CCS facility, and the Petra Nova project in Texas, which features a 240-megawatt CCS unit.
"These projects are costly but viable due to federal government support. PLN's efforts in conducting thorough studies on decarbonization via CCS are commendable and will help shape its future roadmap," Sule said.
He emphasized the importance of reducing capture costs, noting that high costs remain a significant barrier not only for PLN but also for other industries, such as cement manufacturing, in their efforts to reduce emissions.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
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