e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2208
PLTMH is a power plant based on hydropower, which comes from the potential energy/power
contained in water due to the difference in altitude, the first hydropower plant in the world was made
in the United Kingdom by William Armstrong around 1878, the first hydropower plant in America
was made at the Grand Rapid Michigan in 1880, while in Indonesia the development of the use of
water as an energy source has started since 1900, namely in Java and Sulawesi. and The first
hydropower plant in Indonesia was the Tonsea Lama Hydropower Plant in North Sulawesi with a
capacity of 40 MW which operated in 1912,
(Dewanto et al., 2018; Sofyan & Sudana, 2022; Wibowo, 2013)
The potential for the development of Micro Hydro Power Plants (PLTMH) in the Jayawijaya
Regency area is very large, supported by favorable geographical and hydrological conditions
(Purwoko, 2018; Shafira, 2020; Sukamta, 2018). This area has several large watersheds such as the
Baliem watershed, where the Uwe River is a sub-watershed, as well as the Lorentz watershed, the
Central Taritatu watershed, and the Sobger watershed. These rivers offer a fairly abundant and
continuous flow of water, which is an important resource for the development of PLTMH. The Baliem
Valley, with an altitude between 1500 - 2000 meters above sea level, provides a significant elevation
difference to harness the potential energy of water. An average annual rainfall of 1,900 mm and
conditions that support a steady flow of rivers throughout the year reinforce this potential. The air
temperature that varies between 14.5°C to 24.5°C and the even distribution of rainfall throughout the
year add advantages to the operational sustainability of the PLTMH. By utilizing locally available river
water flows, PLTMH can be an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution to meet electrical
energy needs, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and increase electrification ratios in Mountainous
Papua which is currently low. This potential not only contributes to meeting energy needs but also
encourages local economic development and improves the quality of life of people in the region.
Indonesia has a large potential for renewable energy, especially from water resources which
reaches 75,000 MW, but only a small portion has been utilized (Directorate General of EBTKE, 2020)
(Departemen Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral, 2009). Previous studies such as those conducted by
Syukri (2017) and Purwanto(2020) have evaluated the technical feasibility of MHPs in other
locations, but no research has specifically explored the potential of MHPs in Uwe River, Jayawijaya
Regency, Papua. This study differs from previous studies in that it focuses on a unique geographical
location, namely the mountainous region of Papua which has a very low electrification ratio of only
12.09% according to PLN (2022).