Doubts linger over Cilacap power plant project

Doubts have emerged over the planned 5,000 MW coal-fired power project in Cilacap, Central Java, due to uncertainty over the background and performance of PT Jawa Energi, which has been appointed by the government to develop the mega project, Kontan reported on Thursday.

The paper said that top officials both in Jakarta and Central Java were also unaware on who actually owns Jawa Energi, which was appointed to develop the project by senior officials during a November 6 meeting.

A source told Kontan that Jawa Energi is owned by Surabaya businessman Tjandra Lymanjaya who was engaged in the development of 3x115 MW Celukan Bawang Bali coal-fired power plant through his company PT General Energi Bali, which obtained the project in 2012 but run aground, prompting its Chinese partner China Huadian Engineering Corp to take over the project.

Tjandra, however ,told Kontan that he was not the owner of Jawa Energi.

Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said said that the ministry would launch a due diligence process before proceeding with providing permits and other necessary formalities to Jawa Energi to carry out the project. As reported by this portal, Sudirman actually was present at the November 6 meeting. (*)