Indonesia national power utility PT PLN has initiated two major power transmission projects, a 500 kV backbone in Sumatra and a 500 kV Sumatra-Java 500 kV power interconnection line. In a first phase, PT PLN will build the following lines in Sumatra: Ruas New AurDuri – Perbatasan (Jambi – Riau) (two lots), Ruas Perbatasan (Jambi – Riau) – Rengat, Rengat – New Garuda Sakti (two lots). Construction will start at the end of 2014 and commissioning is expected in 2017. The transmission network will supply power from thermal power plants currently under construction, including Jambi power plant (2x400 MW), South Sumatra-6 (Sumsel-6, 2x300 MW) and South Sumatra-7 (Sumsel-7, 2x150 MW). For the second phase, planned to begin in 2016, new 500 kV lines will be built to Aur Duri to Muaraenim in South Sumatra. The third stage will connect Garuda Sakti to Medan. The new "electric highway" from North to South Sumatra is expected to be completed by 2020.
Moreover, PT PLN plans to develop a 500 kV interconnection project from Sumatra to Java: the "Interkoneksi Sumatera Jawa" (ISJ) interconnection project will consist of a 742 km-long HVDC line linking four provinces, namely South Sumatra, Lampung, Banten, and West Java.