Dahlan Iskan passes early selection to become PLN boss

Media tycoon Dahlan Iskan said on Monday that he had cleared the selection process to become the next president director of PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) and had signed a performance contract outlining his plans for the state utility.

He would replace Fahmi Mochtar, who has been under fire after a series of power shortages and blackouts that hit the Greater Jakarta area in recent months. However, the State Enterprises Ministry has yet to make an announcement.

?I have passed the entire fit and proper test carried out by the state-owned enterprise minister, the energy minister, the finance minister and the vice president,? Dahlan said.

Dahlan outlined two main goals if he does take charge of PLN: improving the power capability and minimizing the size of PLN?s government subsidy.

One way to reduce the subsidy was by maximizing the usage of natural gas as a fuel source for power plants.

Dahlan is the chief executive of Jawa Pos and part-owner of the 50 MW power plant through independent power producer PT Cahaya Fajar Kaltim, a joint venture with the Jawa Pos group and the East Kalimantan provincial government.

He said he is ready to resign from his positions at Jawa Pos and sell its power plant in East Kalimantan, once he becomes the president director of PLN. "We have to follow the rules. If the rules say I have to get rid of them (the power plant and his position at Jawa Pos), I will get rid of them," he said. (*)