Buleleng, May 25, 2025 – Located in the middle of the Banjar Kaja Kangin residents’ fields, stands the Bondalem Village Borehole Solar Power Plant (PLTS), Tejakula District, Buleleng Regency, Bali, which is the power source to drive the village’s borehole. To reach the PLTS location, the Bali Energy Exploration team had to walk along a narrow road that could only fit one car, then continue the journey on foot by going up a slight incline towards the hill.
Head of the Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency of Buleleng Regency, I Putu Adiptha Ekaputra explained that Bondalem Village is known to have major challenges in meeting the need for clean water. However, since 2017, major changes have begun when the Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency (PUTR) of Buleleng Regency together with the Bondalem Drinking Water Facility Management Unit (UPS) installed a PLTS on 10.5 are of land. The solar panels are currently the main source of electrical energy to drive one of the five boreholes owned by the village.
According to Adiptha, this power plant produces 23 kVA of electricity and operates effectively for six hours per day, from 09.00 to 16.00 WITA. Water from the drilled well is then distributed to serve around 700 house connections (SR) in three areas: Celagi Bantas, Celagi Batur, and Kelod Kangin. The total number of customers who enjoy the benefits of clean water reaches more than 2,500 people.
Meanwhile, the Head of Bondalem Village, I Gede Arya Ordantara, explained that the drilled wells in the village not only provide clean water, but are also a source of income for the village. This is because the management is carried out by the Drinking Water Facilities Provision Unit (UPS) which is under the Village-Owned Enterprise (Bumdes).
“The existence of rooftop PLTS greatly helps the operation of drilled wells. With energy from solar panels, electricity costs are reduced by around 30 percent, especially for needs in the Banjar Kaja Kangin area. These savings make the village budget for operations and maintenance lighter,” he said when met by the Bali Energy Exploration group on Thursday (22/5).
Before there was a drilled well, residents of Bondalem Village had to take water from a source in Tejakula Village which is located near the mountains, around 5 kilometers away. In addition to the remote access, the water quality was also poor. Reflecting on this condition, in 2018, the village government decided to build a drilled well using village funds. After that, this construction received additional support from the Buleleng Regency Government.
“In the past, we had to take water from Tejakula which was quite far away, around 5 kilometers. Now with the drilled well in the village itself, water needs are much easier to meet,” explained Ordantara.
Marlistya Citraningrum, Sustainable Energy Access Program Manager, Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), stated that the use of Solar Power Plants (PLTS) to operate water pumps in Bondalem Village is a real example of how initiatives from the district government can play an important role in encouraging energy transitions that are relevant and have a direct impact on the community.
“This is a good practice that can be replicated in other villages. In addition, this effort is an important part of the contribution of the village and local government in supporting the Bali Net Zero Emission 2045 target,” said Marlistya.
