PT SKS Listrik Kalimantan takes home honour at Indonesia Technology Excellence Awards 2025

The company strengthened energy resilience through fast cut-back and house load systems that prevented blackouts during grid disturbances.

PT SKS Listrik Kalimantan received an accolade in the Automation - Energy category at the Indonesia Technology Excellence Awards 2025 for its automation project designed to prevent blackouts and major grid disturbances. The initiative integrated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) with a Distributed Control System (DCS) to automatically trigger house load mode and fast cut-back.

This automation capability was proven during multiple severe grid disturbances caused by lightning strikes and vegetation, where the power plant survived without tripping. Between 2022 and 2023, the system endured eight major events, maintaining operations throughout, with the longest house load duration reaching 74 minutes. The approach reduced the risk of forced outages, safeguarded the electricity supply, and cut fuel oil consumption that would otherwise have been required during lengthy restarts.

The house load and fast cut-back mechanisms kept power plants operational whilst transmission lines recovered. Without this automation, recovery could have taken up to four days due to steam drum temperature differences requiring complex restart procedures. Instead, the company’s automated system maintained normal parameters during the disruption, allowing the facility to synchronise with the grid once it stabilised.

The project also gained attention beyond Indonesia. The system’s success was presented at international conferences and published in IEEE papers, adding to discussions on grid stability and automation.

The Kalimantan grid, which relies heavily on radial transmission lines, is vulnerable to disturbances. Automation has become a safeguard for communities and industries that rely on electricity. The company operated through repeated events and showed that its strategy can serve as a benchmark for other plants in the region.

The Indonesia Technology Excellence Awards recognises groundbreaking technological projects and initiatives. It celebrates visionary leaders who are driving digital disruption, spearheading the tech revolution, and transforming industries through innovation.

The Indonesia Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review. To view the full list of past winners, click here. For more information, please contact Shela Ramos at +(65) 3158 1386 ext. 227 or [email protected].