During a Working Visit (Kunker) in Malang Raya, Wednesday (20/11/2024), the Minister of Public Works (PU) of the Republic of Indonesia, Dody Hanggodo, inspected the condition of the Sutami Dam located in Karangkates Village, Sumberpucung District, Malang Regency. During this visit, the Minister of Public Works was accompanied by the Director General of Water Resources, Ir. Bob Arthur, the President Director of Perum Jasa Tirta I (PJT I), Fahmi Hidayat, BBWS officials, and several officials from related government agencies.

At the dam that has been operational since December 1973, Minister Dody revealed that the construction of a floating solar power plant (PLTS) at the Sutami Dam is currently being discussed. "The PLTS is currently in the discussion stage by PLN, represented by Nusantara Power," said the engineer who graduated from ITB in 1989.

Furthermore, Dody explained that the floating solar power plant (PLTS) project is now included in the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) from PLN. He emphasized that the floating solar power plant is important to optimize the abundant water resources at the Sutami Dam, while also creating energy self-sufficiency in Indonesia.

"The floating solar power plant that will be built in the Sutami Dam area has the potential to generate a large amount of electrical energy, around 100 megawatts, almost equivalent to a hydropower plant of approximately 105 megawatts. The investment value of this project is around Rp1.4 trillion," revealed the Gerindra Party politician.

At the end of his visit, Minister Dody assessed the current condition of the Sutami Dam as quite good. He mentioned that he did not find any significant issues with the structure of the dam, which has been in operation for more than 50 years. "To ensure that the dam can continue to support the realization of energy self-sufficiency, maintenance of the structure will be carried out regularly," he said.

In addition, to ensure that the Sutami Dam has a long lifespan, they admitted to having collaborated with consultants from Taiwan. "Because they are indeed experts in this field." (bendungan). They have also provided recommendations, which are currently being reviewed by the Dam Safety Commission team," Dody concluded.

Previously, the Minister of Public Works, along with a delegation, first inspected the operational management system of water owned by Perum Jasa Tirta (PJT) I at the Command Center Building, located at the Perum Jasa Tirta I Office, Jl. Surabaya 2A, Malang City. They listened directly to the water management system implemented by PJT I, including the reservoir control operations that use advanced technology to support sustainable water resource management.

The issues of sedimentation and the environment in the upstream areas, including the undisciplined behavior of the community in waste management, are considered to further exacerbate the existing problems. According to Dody, collective awareness plays a very important role in maintaining river cleanliness for the sustainability of the reservoir as a vital infrastructure.

"Many forest areas have been converted for other uses, which reduces their water absorption capacity. So when it rains, the water also carries sand and other materials, such as mattresses, chairs, and so on." "Many of the waste thrown into the river eventually accumulates at the dam," Dody revealed.

Dody also discussed the need for technological innovation to address the impact of sedimentation. For this reason, his team admits to continuously engaging in discussions with various parties, so that there is always new technology capable of reducing the impact of sedimentation.

Not only that, he also highlighted the importance of upstream management involving various parties, such as local governments, the forestry sector, and agriculture. "Protecting upstream areas is the key to the sustainability of the water management system. Therefore, we encourage cross-sector synergy to preserve the upstream ecosystem through reforestation programs and land use conversion control," Dody emphasized.

Source : https://malangpagi.com/pemerintah-akan-bangun-plts-terapung-di-bendungan-sutami/