Chevron eyes geothermal field in Aceh

PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) is bidding for the development of a geothermal field in Seulawah Agam, Aceh Besar currently being auctioned by the local government, Kontan reported Monday.

Manager for government policy and public affairs of Chevron?s geothermal and power operations, Ida Bagus Wibatsya said in Banda Aceh last week that the company had formally submitted the proposal to develop the geothermal field to the local government.

In addition to Chevron, there are two other companies joining the tender for the development of the Seulawah Agam geothermal field, which is estimated to have a capacity to generate 55 megawatt of electricity.

Besides, the Seulawah Agam field, Chevron will also develop a geothermal field in Lampung. Recently, the company won a tender to develop a geothermal field in Suoh in West Lampung, which has a capacity of about 55 MW.

Chevron is currently conducting a 3D survey on the geothermal field as part of the requirement that has to be met to enable it to ask for expansion of the project.

At present, Chevron operates two geothermal plants in Indonesia. The first geothermal plant in PLTP Gunung Salak, West Java, which has the capacity to produce 330MW of power supply. The second one is PLTP Darajat in Garut, West Java which has a capacity to produce 259 MW. All the electricity production is sold to state owned electricity company PLN. (*)