Hyundai E&C Breaks Record: Building the World’s Largest Single-Unit Geothermal Power Plant in Indonesia
By: Robert Buluma
In a remarkable feat of engineering, Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) has just completed the Sarulla Geothermal Power Plant (Sarulla GPP) in North Sumatra, Indonesia
now officially recognized as the world’s largest single-unit geothermal power plant with a capacity of 330 MW.
This milestone not only showcases Korean engineering excellence on the global stage but also marks a significant step forward for clean, reliable renewable energy in Southeast Asia.
A Giant Leap for Geothermal Energy
Located in the Sarulla region of North Sumatra, the plant consists of three units that together deliver 330 megawatts of clean electricity enough to power approximately 2.1 million Indonesian households.
What makes Sarulla truly special is its single-unit design. While many geothermal projects around the world are built in smaller, modular phases (typically 50–110 MW per unit), Sarulla pushed the boundaries by constructing the largest single geothermal generating unit ever built. This required extraordinary precision in drilling, piping, and turbine installation under challenging volcanic terrain.
The plant taps into underground reservoirs heated to around 200–300°C, converting that natural heat into electricity through steam turbines. Unlike solar or wind, geothermal energy is baseload power it runs 24/7, unaffected by weather, daylight, or wind speed. That reliability is priceless in a country like Indonesia, where demand for stable electricity is skyrocketing.
Innovation Under Pressure: Finishing One Month Ahead of Schedule
One of the most impressive aspects of the project? Hyundai E&C completed it one month ahead of schedule.
How? By pioneering the use of multiple small and medium-sized cranes instead of relying on a single massive heavy-lift crane.
In remote, mountainous areas with poor road access, transporting and assembling a giant 1,000+ ton crane is often a logistical nightmare that can delay projects by months. Hyundai’s innovative “swarm crane” strategy allowed parallel construction activities, dramatically accelerating the erection of the power block and turbine hall.
This approach has now become a new benchmark for large-scale energy projects in difficult terrains.
Leading Indonesia’s Geothermal Revolution
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and possesses the world’s largest geothermal energy potential estimated at 29 GW, nearly 40% of global reserves. Yet until recently, only a fraction of that potential had been developed.
Sarulla is a game-changer. As the largest operating geothermal facility in the country, it has helped Indonesia leap forward in its ambition to reach 7.2 GW of geothermal capacity by 2030.
Hyundai E&C didn’t just build a power plant they helped unlock Indonesia’s underground treasure for sustainable development.
Why This Matters for the Planet
Every megawatt of geothermal power displaces coal, oil, or gas. Sarulla alone is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 1.3 million tons per year equivalent to taking more than 280,000 cars off the road.
In an era where renewable energy must be both clean and reliable, geothermal stands out as one of the few sources that can truly replace fossil fuel baseload plants.
Final Thoughts
The successful completion of the Sarulla Geothermal Power Plant proves that bold engineering, smart innovation, and international cooperation can deliver massive clean-energy projects on time and under budget.
Hyundai E&C has not only etched its name into the record books but has also set a new standard for how the world can harness the heat beneath our feet.
Here’s to more projects like Sarulla , turning the earth’s natural power into a brighter, cleaner future.
Originally posted on Alphaxioms
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