Balikpapan RDMP’s Power Grid Officially 100% Operational; Integrated System Ready to Support Strategic Unit Operations

Sunday, 15 February 2026

The Balikpapan Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) project has reached another significant milestone with the achievement of 100 percent energization of all substations (SS) or electrical distribution systems within the project area. This milestone was marked by management’s review of the reliability of the power supply, including at Substation SS-106—the final substation in the system—on Saturday (February 14).

Previously, SS-106, which supplies the CCR Platforming (Continuous Catalytic Regeneration Platforming) Unit, was successfully energized on Tuesday (February 10). Following a period of system observation and stabilization, the power supply was deemed reliable and ready to support the next stages leading up to the unit’s startup.

A substation functions to distribute and regulate electrical voltage to ensure safety before it is used by process equipment. Meanwhile, energization is the stage when the electrical system is officially energized and declared ready to supply power stably. In large-scale oil and gas projects such as the RDMP Balikpapan, this system serves as the operational lifeline, ensuring all equipment can be tested and operated in accordance with safety and reliability standards.

With the activation of SS-106, the project’s entire electrical distribution network is now fully connected. Electricity from the gas-fired power plant (Gas Turbine Generator-GTG) flows through the integrated distribution system, starting from Substation SS-101 as the distribution hub and extending to each substation that supplies power to the respective process units according to their functions.

Asep Sulaeman, VP of Legal & Relations at PT KPB, emphasized that this achievement marks a systemic milestone in the project’s electrical infrastructure. “SS-106 is the final substation out of the total 16 substations in the Balikpapan RDMP area to be energized. With the completion of this phase, the project’s electrical system is now fully integrated. This means that all units supplied by each substation are now connected within a single distribution system and ready to support the commissioning phase through to startup,” said Asep.

For the CCR Platforming Unit, a stable power supply is a critical foundation for proceeding with the pre-commissioning phase, including testing of motors and major equipment. This phase ensures every system operates with precision before entering the operational phase.

According to Asep, the readiness of basic infrastructure such as the electrical system is key to maintaining the continuity of the project’s final stages. “This 100 percent energization marks that the entire electrical backbone of the Balikpapan RDMP is now fully active. This serves as a crucial foundation for ensuring the readiness of strategic units to enter the initial operational phase optimally,” he added.

The operation of the Balikpapan RDMP represents a major step for Pertamina in enhancing the capacity and quality of national refinery production. This modernization is expected to strengthen resilience while promoting Indonesia’s energy independence.