Asahan 3 HEPP: Indonesia’s First HSA-Certified Hydropower Project

Image of Asahan 3 HEPP, taken from HSA certification report (source: HSA-Asahan 3 certification)

Date : April 2026

Asahan

Hydropower

HSA-Certified

JAKARTA - As the global demand for clean and reliable energy continues to grow, hydropower remains one of the most important renewable energy sources. At the same time, expectations toward infrastructure development have evolved—projects today are not only required to deliver energy, but also to meet broader environmental, social, and governance standards.

In this context, the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) plays an important role as a global organization dedicated to advancing sustainability in hydropower development. HSA establishes internationally recognized frameworks that assess how well hydropower projects manage environmental impact, community considerations, and governance practices.

One of its key frameworks, the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, provides a structured and independent assessment process. Through this standard, projects are evaluated against a comprehensive set of criteria covering areas such as environmental protection, water management, social responsibility, and transparency. Certification under this framework indicates that a project has met internationally accepted benchmarks for sustainable hydropower development.

Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS) result diagram from the certification report of Asahan 3 HEPP

Within this global framework, the Asahan 3 Hydroelectric Power Project marks a significant milestone as the first hydropower project in Indonesia to receive certification under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard. This achievement reflects the project’s alignment with international sustainability standards and demonstrates its ability to meet rigorous environmental, social, and governance expectations.

Together with Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) and other key stakeholders, Nippon Koei (NK) played a key role in the development of the Asahan 3 project. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to delivering infrastructure that not only meets energy needs but also aligns with global sustainability expectations.

The successful certification of Asahan 3 highlights how strong coordination and alignment among stakeholders can contribute to achieving high standards of project performance. It also underscores the importance of integrating sustainability considerations throughout the project lifecycle.

Asahan 3 HEPP development image.

Being part of the Asahan 3 project represents an important achievement for NK. We take pride in contributing to a project that has gained international recognition, and this milestone reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality engineering and consulting services. Moving forward, we will continue to support the development of infrastructure projects that create long-term value while meeting evolving global standards for sustainability.

Link to the Asahan 3 assessment publication by HAS and the assessment report:
https://www.hs-alliance.org/published-assessments/asahan-3