Installation of turbines in PLTMH by residents of Puncu Village, Kediri

ITS Campus, ITS News – Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) continuously participates in the welfare of Indonesian society in various aspects. This time, the ITS Student Study Service team carried out community service in the form of utilizing water flow in the village to produce electrical energy, so it is hoped that it can improve the village economy.

The ITS Student Study Service activity was carried out in Puncu Village, Puncu District, Kediri Regency. The supervisor of ITS Student Study Service activities, Ahmad Fauzan Adziima ST MSc, explained that the installation of appropriate technology in the form of a Micro Hydro Power Plant (PLTMH) aims to reduce the dependence of village electricity on PLN. In addition, the development of PLTMH is also aimed at utilizing the potential of the Puncu Village area which has a lot of water flow.

PLTMH is a power plant that can utilize water flow with a capacity of less than 1 megawatt (MW). This production is supported by the flow of village water, which according to the monitoring of the ITS team, each has a discharge of 0.9 cubic meters per second with an average flow rate of 0.5 meters per second. “From this fact, it can be concluded that Puncu Village has the potential to be able to produce 200 – 1,000 watts of electricity independently without having to rely on PLN electricity,” he explained.

Details of turbines and pulleys in the PLTMH made by the Abmas and KKN ITS team

The installation of this PLTMH, as continued by the lecturer who is often called Fauzan, begins with an analysis of the needs and also the water pipe connection, which is then followed by the installation of a turbine. Furthermore, this turbine is connected to a mechanical pulley and a fan belt to turn a generator with a capacity of 220 V / 13.6 A. Currently, the electricity generated is still around 160-190 volts or with an average power of 200-220 Watts. “In the future, there will be additional turbines to get additional energy,” added this lecturer at the ITS Instrumentation Engineering Department.

The electricity that has been generated will be used to supply general needs such as street lighting (PJU), water reservoirs, and also places of worship. This independent production of electrical energy can ultimately reduce the dependence of Puncu Village on electricity from PLN. “This is a solution and innovation to reduce PLN electricity consumption,” added Fauzan.

This man who was born in 1991 explained that Puncu Village has productive MSME activities with commodities in the form of shredded chilies and Kelud coffee. These commodity production activities are still very dependent on electricity from PLN. The electricity produced by this PLTMH is also planned to be supplied to increase the profits of the Swadaya Mandiri Lamor Kelud Sejahtera MSME Group.

Photo with the ITS community service and student study service team in making PLTMH in Puncu Village, Kediri

Fauzan also revealed that this PLTMH provided wider benefits to the people of Puncu Village. Apart from being a power plant and producing energy, this PLTMH can be used as a means of education for youth and children in the village.

In addition, as far as the progress of this year is concerned, since last November, the ITS community service and student study service team has provided counseling to local residents regarding the maintenance of PLTMH. In the future, the ITS team plans to hold activities in the form of workshops on making this power plant. “For the following year period, a workshop will be held to design and make the turbines themselves,” he concluded. (ri/ory/ITS Public Relations)