ChevronTexaco to build 280 MW power plant in W. Java

ChevonTexaco Corp will build a fourth geothermal power plant in Indonesia's West Java Province, the Dow Jones Newswires reported on Monday citing Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro as saying.

The new 280-megawatt power plant will be located near its three existing Darajat power plants, Purnomo told reporters, quoting ChevronTexaco's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David O'Reilly.

However, Purnomo didn't give any time table when ChevronTexaco, via its unit Amoseas Indonesia Inc., will start construction of the new power plant.

Monday, O'Reilly also paid a courtesy visit to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono before he addresses the annual convention and exhibition held by the Indonesian Petroleum Association Tuesday.

Purnomo quoted O'Reilly as saying that ChevronTexaco, which is now the largest oil company In Asia after its recent Unocal (UCL) buy, will base its Asian headquarters in Jakarta.

"This will be good for economic activities here," Purnomo added.

Chevron will continue to look for oil and gas in Indonesia, Purnomo said. The company's local unit, PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia, currently produces half of Indonesia's oil output, which stands slightly below 1 million barrels per day. Caltex Pacific's main oil fields are located in central Sumatra's Riau Province. (*)