Comparative Feasibility Study of SWER and Three-Phase Distribution System for Rural Electrification in Indonesia

The 2022 2025 Rural Electrification Roadmap records 2,471 non-electrified villages in Indonesia, with high investment costs due to accessibility, security, weather, and geography. This study conducts a comparative feasibility analysis of the Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) system and the Three-Phase Three-Wire (TPTW) system for rural electrification in Indonesia. We conducted a case study on three villages in South Kalimantan, located within 30 km of the 20 kV SLT04 feeder. Using DIgSILENT software, the SWER system was modeled to analyze voltage drop and power loss, alongside a financial comparison with the TPTW system. The results of this study indicate that the TPTW system exhibits a lower voltage drop (0.45%) compared to SWER (1.12%), ensuring more stable power quality and conserving energy, exhibiting a reduced voltage drop of 0.57% and diminished power losses of 4.84 kW compared to the SWER system. However, SWER requires significantly lower initial investment only 31% of the total cost of the TPTW system making it a cost-effective solution for short-distance rural electrification. The break-even study indicates that SWER attains an earlier payback (2028.33), supporting short-term implementation in low-density areas. For regions with greater demand potential and long-term development objectives, TPTW is preferable due to its superior reliability and reduced cumulative operational costs.