Saturday, 12 September 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - The North Sumatra Provincial Government is accelerating preparations for the Medan Raya Waste-to-Energy (PSEL) project, which is part of the National Strategic Program (PSN). The government is targeting December 2026 for the groundbreaking ceremony, marking the start of construction of the waste-to-energy facility involving the Medan City Government and Deli Serdang Regency Government.
North Sumatra Deputy Governor Surya said regional governments must now accelerate various technical preparations so that construction of the Medan Raya PSEL facility can move into the implementation stage as soon as possible. He made the statement during a meeting with Fadli Rahman, Director of Investment at Danantara, to discuss the development of the PSEL project, particularly cooperation between the Medan City Government and the Deli Serdang Regency Government.
The meeting was held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the Reception Building on the ninth floor of the North Sumatra Governor's Office at 30 Jalan Diponegoro, Medan.
According to Surya, the Medan Raya PSEL project is no longer in its initial planning stage. The government has carried out various preparations since 2023. All parties must now focus on accelerating implementation on the ground.
"The project was already started in 2023. This means that PSEL has already begun. Now it is only a matter of implementing it on the ground. There is no reason why it should not move forward. This program is very suitable for addressing the waste problem," Surya said.
Surya said regional governments still need to ensure several areas under their respective authorities, particularly land availability and an adequate and reliable waste supply. The Medan Raya PSEL facility is expected to process around 1,700 tons of waste per day from Medan and Deli Serdang.
The government must also ensure that this volume of waste remains available continuously over the long term. Surya said a secure and consistent waste supply is one of the key factors in ensuring that the PSEL facility can operate optimally once completed.
"This is no longer about financing and planning. It is only about the land and the provision of waste for a period of 30 years – 1,700 tons per day between the Medan City Government and Deli Serdang," he said.
The North Sumatra Provincial Government, Surya said, will act as a mediator while strengthening coordination between regional governments and the parties involved in the project. This is intended to ensure that all project requirements are fulfilled and that no obstacles arise during implementation.
"This is a PSN program. Between Medan and Deli Serdang, hopefully the results of these discussions can reach Jakarta so that there are no doubts. We hope this program can solve the waste problem in Medan and Deli Serdang. Hopefully, it will be realized soon as expected and implemented smoothly," he said.
From the investment side, Fadli Rahman, Director of Investment at Danantara, said the Medan Raya PSEL project requires an investment of approximately US$200 million, equivalent to around Rp3.5 trillion. The facility is expected to have an electricity generation capacity of approximately 35 to 40 megawatts.
In addition to generating electricity, the project is expected to create employment opportunities during the construction phase and after operations begin. The Medan Raya PSEL facility is projected to supply electricity to around 110,000 households while also helping reduce emissions from the waste sector.
Fadli said construction of the facility would take approximately two years after work begins. The government is targeting 2028 for the Medan Raya PSEL facility to commence operations.
"Our target is for the facility to be operational by December 2028. Construction will take approximately two years," he said.
The Medan City Government has expressed its readiness to support the accelerated implementation of the Medan Raya PSEL project. Medan Mayor Rico Waas said the city administration had already acquired and cleared approximately 4.98 hectares of land next to the Terjun landfill in Medan Marelan District.
In addition to providing the land, the city government has allocated around Rp47 billion for site development and preparation. A further Rp7.9 billion has been earmarked for the construction and improvement of the access road to the PSEL facility.
Rico said the city government is also strengthening preparations for waste transportation. A total of 26 additional waste collection vehicles are planned to ensure the smooth delivery of waste to the Medan Raya PSEL facility.
"The Medan City Government is ready. The tender for site preparation will be conducted soon, and we hope the groundbreaking can take place according to the established schedule," Rico said.
In his view, land availability and supporting infrastructure are important prerequisites for achieving the target of holding the groundbreaking in December 2026. The Medan City Government hopes preparations will proceed according to schedule so that construction can enter the next stage as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, the Deli Serdang Regency Government has also expressed its readiness to support the waste supply required by the Medan Raya PSEL facility. Deli Serdang Deputy Regent Lom-Lom Suwondo said the regency government would strengthen waste management and collection down to the level of individual administrative districts.
The Deli Serdang Government will optimize TPS 3R facilities – waste reduction, reuse and recycling facilities – to strengthen the waste delivery supply chain. Waste collection in several administrative districts will also be expanded to meet the raw material requirements of the PSEL facility.
Currently, several waste management facilities in Deli Serdang have a combined capacity of around 800 tons of waste. This capacity forms part of the basis for the regency's contribution to supplying the Medan Raya PSEL facility.
"To support this program, we are preparing measures for waste delivery. We are strengthening TPS 3R facilities and waste collection at the administrative district level. Our capacity is sufficient, and we are ready to support the project," Lom-Lom said.
The development of the Medan Raya PSEL project has previously drawn attention from the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs. Nani Hendiarti, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Affordability and Food Security at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, said waste management at the Terjun landfill had made several advances.
The Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs also praised measures taken by the Medan City Government to address the city's waste problem. According to Nani, the Medan Raya PSEL facility is among the projects receiving particular attention because of its large processing capacity.
In its first and second phases, the Medan Raya PSEL facility is expected to process around 1,700 tons of waste per day. This makes the Medan Raya project one of the large-scale PSEL facilities under the government's program.
"Medan is part of the second phase. We hope Medan can become the first project because it has the largest capacity, at around 1,700 tons per day," she said.
With support from the central government, the North Sumatra Provincial Government, the Medan City Government and the Deli Serdang Regency Government, the Medan Raya PSEL project is expected not only to address the growing volume of waste but also to generate electricity and provide economic benefits for the community.
Regional governments are now entering a crucial stage in which land availability, access to the site, the waste transportation fleet and a continuous waste supply must all be secured. If all preparations proceed as planned, the groundbreaking in December 2026 will mark the beginning of construction of the waste-to-energy facility.
The project, with an investment value of approximately Rp3.5 trillion, is then expected to begin operations in December 2028. Once operational, the Medan Raya PSEL facility is expected to process large volumes of waste while generating up to 35 to 40 megawatts of electricity, enough to meet the energy needs of around 110,000 households.
The meeting was also attended by several regional agencies from the North Sumatra Provincial Government, representatives of the Nusantara Hijau consortium and representatives of Danantara. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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