On September 10, CHN Energy’s Indonesia Sumsel-1 Power Project officially obtained the Commercial Operation Certificate issued by PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), confirming that the project commenced commercial operation on September 4, 2025, in accordance with the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Located in South Sumatra Island, Indonesia, the Sumsel-1 Power Project operates in a tropical rainforest climate characterized by high temperatures and heavy rainfall. The transmission line passes through areas with underdeveloped infrastructure and complex geographical conditions. Since the commencement of construction on September 4, 2020, the project team has overcome numerous challenges, completing the main power plant construction to high standards and finishing the 80-kilometer transmission line and back-feeding power operation at the fastest pace among similar projects in the region. To achieve the target of early operation, the project implemented measures such as a parallel commissioning plan for both units and an optimized acid cleaning process, significantly compressing the commissioning timeline. These efforts yielded remarkable results: the NO.1 Unit completed grid connection at the first attempt within 35 days after back-feeding power, and both units were fully operational within 89 days. All operational indicators of the units have surpassed design specifications.
To ensure the project strictly adhered to the PPA and achieved commercial operation on schedule, the project team established a dedicated task force to systematically manage comprehensive communication and coordination with PLN. In strict compliance with PPA terms, the project team coordinated performance testing, certification, and compliance reviews for power units and supporting infrastructure, efficiently executing all node tasks. Through multiple rounds of proactive technical and commercial negotiations, coupled with coordinated efforts across internal and external resources, the project successfully obtained the Commercial Operation Certificate within one month after completing the 96-hour continuous trial operation of both units. This achievement not only enabled the commercialization of power delivery ahead of the original schedule, securing investment recovery and operational revenue, but also set a successful benchmark for large-scale overseas power projects by providing the model of the “shortest cycle from back-feeding power to commercial operation”.
