Arkora accelerates 200 MW hydro push

It plans to stay ahead in Indonesia’s renewable transition through AI.

PT Arkora Hydro Tbk is accelerating more than 200 megawatts (MW) of projects while embedding artificial intelligence (AI) into its plant operations to strengthen its role in Indonesia’s energy transition.

“AI allows us to anticipate potential failures before they happen,” Aldo Artoko, president director at Arkora Hydro, told Asian Power in an interview. “This means less downtime, better optimization, and stronger reliability in serving the grid.”

The publicly listed company has rolled out a computer- and cloud-based monitoring system across its assets, allowing real-time remote analysis and optimization. The system supports predictive maintenance, reduces operational risks, and improves plant efficiency — a step Artoko described as a milestone for Indonesia’s hydropower sector.

Arkora operates three hydropower plants with a combined 27.4 MW capacity: Cikopo in West Java, and Tomasa and Yaentu in Central Sulawesi. Two more projects are under construction, including the 11-MW Kukusan plant in Lampung, now more than 80% complete, and the 4.4-MW Tomoni project in South Sulawesi, which has passed 30% progress.

Arkora has also secured a 20-MW power purchase agreement with state-owned PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) for the Pongbembe project, raising its total contracted capacity to 62.8 MW across six developments. Its medium-term pipeline of more than 200 MW is expected to be realized in three to five years.

Once Kukusan and Tomoni come online, Arkora projects annual output of 257 gigawatt-hours, equivalent to reducing almost 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year. Kukusan is expected to generate 35,054 megawatt-hours annually, while Tomoni will add 56,940 megawatt-hours.

“With over 100,000 tons of carbon reductions annually, we aim to help Indonesia meet its net zero 2060 goals,” Artoko said.

The company has also prioritized local hiring, drawing most of its site workforce from host communities. “By involving local talent, we build not just power plants but also relationships that ensure project sustainability,” he added.

Arkora applies disciplined capital spending of $2m–2.5m per megawatt, with projects fully compliant with regulatory standards.

The company plans to accelerate construction, expand site exploration, strengthen talent acquisition, and maintain strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) safeguards, Artoko said.

“Hydropower has always been stable,” he said. “By adding AI, we make it smarter and more adaptive — and that’s how we plan to stay ahead in the renewable transition.”