Microhydro power plant provides affordable electricity to West Java village

Residents of Kampung Tangsi Jaya in Bandung Barat, West Java, use a microhydro power plant (PLTMH) to generate electricity from the Ciputri River.

Before the 2000s, the village had no electricity. Residents began by building simple water wheels, which eventually led to the construction of a formal power plant in 2007 funded by the West Java Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Office. The village now operates two power plants with a total capacity of 50 kW.

A 32 kW facility received a grant from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in 2024. Currently, 95 houses use this power, with each home receiving about 450 watts. The local community manages the facility, and members receive government training to operate the machinery. The electricity helps residents reduce household chores and lower business costs.

A local coffee farmer reported that using the microhydro plant costs 25,000 rupiah per month, which is three times cheaper than the state electricity provider. A local small business owner who processes ginger and turmeric uses the power to run blenders and grinders, reducing her monthly operational costs from 500,000 rupiah to 100,000 rupiah. Beyrra Triasdian, a renewable energy campaigner, states that the village serves as a model for community-led energy independence.

She notes that while the results took over a decade to manifest through cooperatives and coffee businesses, the success stems from collective management and adequate training. She suggests that other regions can replicate this model if they receive specific policies and incentives for community-scale renewable energy.