Forestry Ministry issues permits for three geothermal projects

The Forestry Ministry has issued permits for the development of three geothermal projects in protected forest areas in West Nusa Tenggara and West Java, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Thursday.

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said in Jakarta on Wednesday that PLTP Sembalun geothermal project in West Nusa Tenggara received a permit to use a 3,484-hectare area in the Mount Rinjanai National Park in East Lombok.

PLTP Kamojang Unit 5 & 6 received a permit to use 3.85 hectare areas in a protected forest in Mandalawangi, Bandung regency while PLTP Wayang Windu Unit 3 & 4 received permits to use 65 hectares of forested area in the protected forest in Mount Malabar, Bandung regency.

?Today, we have signed three permits for three geothermal projects in West Nusa Tenggara and West Java,? Zulkifli said, adding that his office was still processing other three permits for similar geothermal projects.

Secretary General of the Forestry Ministry, Hadi Daryanto, said that according to a new regulation currently being prepared by his office, conservation forest areas could be used for geothermal projects. (*)