PLN strengthens Indonesia's power infrastructure for data center growth

PT PLN (Persero) is strengthening Indonesia's electrical infrastructure to support the rapid growth of the data center sector, driven by artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The company currently serves 159 data center customers with a total connected capacity of 2,038 megavolt ampere (MVA). Approximately 99 percent of this capacity is concentrated in the Java, Madura, and Bali regions, with West Java serving as a major cluster, though expansion is beginning in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

PLN Director Utama Darmawan Prasodjo emphasized that data centers require specific electrical characteristics, including high capacity, reliability, power quality, and the use of clean energy. To ensure sustainable investment, the company is focusing on early infrastructure planning to anticipate increasing energy demands.

Industry experts, including John Ammentorp from Arup, noted that the rise of data centers creates new centers of electricity consumption. He advised that energy system planners must consider the impact of large-scale demand on local grids and use digital modeling to prevent bottlenecks and manage the integration of renewable sources like solar and hydro power.