Rebuilding Capacity in West Java
As electricity demand continues to grow across Indonesia’s industrial and urban centers, utilities are increasingly being challenged to expand transmission capacity quickly – often within the constraints of existing infrastructure and limited right-of-way availability. For Perusahaan Listrik Negara (P.T. PLN (Persero)), one recent project in West Java demonstrates how advanced conductor technology can help utilities overcome those challenges efficiently and economically.
The 150 kV Cikande New – Cikande transmission project in West Java was developed as a strategic reconductoring initiative designed to increase line capacity and improve system performance without requiring an entirely new transmission corridor. Rather than pursue costly and time-consuming new line construction, PT. PLN (Persero) selected CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor technology to uprate the existing infrastructure and deliver significantly greater power transfer capability using the existing lattice tower system.
At the center of the project was the deployment of ACCC Hamburg conductor, manufactured locally by PT. KMI Wire and Cable Tbk. Approximately 56 kilometers of conductor were supplied for the project, covering a 5 circuit-kilometer double-circuit transmission corridor operating at 150 kV.
The project utilized bundled twin subconductors per phase and was engineered by PT. PLN (Persero) Pusat Manajemen Proyek (PUSMAPRO), with construction completed by PT. Indo Karya Elektrik Mandiri. Hardware support was provided by PT. SICAMINDO.
While the transmission route itself traversed mainly flat terrain with relatively modest span lengths averaging approximately 280 meters, the project represented a meaningful example of how reconductoring with high-performance composite core conductors can unlock substantial additional transmission capability while minimizing construction impacts and project complexity.
Unlike conventional steel-core conductors, ACCC® Conductor utilizes a lightweight carbon and glass fiber composite core that delivers exceptionally low thermal expansion and high strength. This allows the conductor to operate at significantly higher temperatures with far less sag, enabling utilities to increase ampacity while maintaining safe clearances over roads, crossings, and existing infrastructure.
For P.T. PLN (Persero), these advantages were especially valuable. By reconductoring the existing line with ACCC® Conductor instead of rebuilding the corridor, the utility was able to increase transmission capacity while avoiding many of the challenges typically associated with new transmission development, including additional land acquisition, permitting delays, major structural modifications, and extended outages.
Projects like Cikande are becoming increasingly important across Southeast Asia, where rapid industrial growth, expanding electrification, and increasing renewable energy integration are placing unprecedented demands on transmission infrastructure. In many cases, utilities simply cannot wait the many years often required to permit and construct entirely new transmission lines. Reconductoring existing assets with advanced conductors has emerged as one of the fastest and most cost-effective strategies available to expand grid capacity.
The successful installation also highlights the growing maturity of the ACCC® Ecosystem within Indonesia. Local manufacturing capabilities through PT. KMI Wire and Cable Tbk., experienced installation teams, and specialized deployment equipment all contributed to the project’s efficient execution. Installation utilized TEMA puller and tensioner equipment, Omac clamps, and Kudos presses, supported by master installers from PT. Dinamika Elektra Mandiri and site supervisors from PT. KMI Wire and Cable Tbk.,. CTC Global representative Mark Eglinton attended the project startup activities.
One additional feature that contributed to the project’s successful execution was the use of CTC Global’s ACCC InfoCore® System throughout the installation process. The system was utilized to verify composite core integrity before installation, monitor conductor handling during stringing operations, and confirm final core condition after installation was completed. By capturing and securely storing inspection data in a cloud-based platform, the InfoCore® System provided PLN (Persero) and the project team with enhanced quality assurance, installation transparency, and long-term documentation of conductor condition to help ensure reliable system performance for years to come.
Beyond the immediate capacity benefits, projects such as Cikande also position utilities for future grid modernization initiatives. Higher-capacity transmission corridors can support continued load growth, improve system reliability, reduce congestion, and facilitate additional renewable energy integration without requiring entirely new infrastructure footprints.
As utilities around the world search for practical ways to modernize aging transmission systems while controlling costs and accelerating deployment timelines, the Cikande New – Cikande project provides another strong example of how ACCC® Conductor technology is helping utilities achieve more from their existing transmission assets.
Project Snapshot
- Project: 150 kV Cikande New – Cikande
- Location: West Java
- Utility: Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN)
- Conductor: ACCC Hamburg
- Manufacturer: PT. KMI Wire and Cable Tbk.
- Voltage: 150 kV
- Application: Reconductoring / Capacity Uprating
- Circuits: Double Circuit
- Bundle Configuration: Twin subconductors per phase
- Structures: Lattice Towers
- Average Span: 280 m
- Longest Span: 377 m
- Engineering: PLN PUSMAPRO
- Contractor: PT. Indo Karya Elektrik Mandiri
- Hardware Supplier: PT. SICAMINDO
