P

T Bright PLN Batam, a subsidiary of state electricity firm PLN, says it will supply 1.6 megawatts (mw) in electricity from a compressed natural gas (CNG)-based power plant to Manis Island in Riau Islands province.

Manis Island is renowned for its independent city, Funtasy Island, an integrated commercial and residential real estate targeting the Singaporean middle and upper classes.

PT PLN Batam president director Dadan Koerniadipoera said that as a license holder, the firm had offered to construct both the network and the power plant, as well as to operate it, for the island'€™s developer PT Batam Island Marina (BIM).

'€œWe have promised PT BIM that we will provide them with excellent work that will be enjoyed by Singaporeans who will live on the island,'€ he said.

Dadan said it would be the second CNG-based power plant constructed by the firm, after the one in
Tokojo, Bintan, also in the same province.

The electricity infrastructure that will be built includes a medium voltage network, a low voltage network, six distribution substations and six transformers with a total of 4,350 kilovolt ampere (kVA).

The construction of the Rp 40 billion (US$3.45 million) project is expected to begin next month.

Separately, Funtasy Island site manager Oke Yusma Nurjaman said although the construction progress of Funtasy Island had only reached 40 percent, the developer had sold out all residences they offered, mostly to Singaporeans.

Oke predicted that the island'€™s electricity demand would reach 15 mw within the next 10 years.

Developed with a total investment of Rp 2 trillion, Funtasy Island is located between Batam and Singapore and can be reached in 20 minutes from Singapore.

The site comprises 328 hectares of commercial, residential and tourism areas.