Geothermal power plant to be built in South Halmahera

A geothermal power plant with capacity of 5 megawatt will be built in South Halmahera regency in North Maluku to cope with the electricity shortage in the regency, Investor Daily reported on Monday.

Daud Djubaedi, the spokesman for South Halmahera regency administration, said that the local government would soon hold a tender for the development of the geothermal power plant so that the construction could be started in 2013.

The power plant would use geothermal resource in the eastern part of the regency, a potential area for the development of plantation and fishery industries.

Many investors have expressed their interest to build fishery processing plants in South Halmahera but could not realize their plans due to the lack of electricity. He hoped that the planned geothermal power plant would not only be able to meet the growing electricity demand from households but also from industries.

At present a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 14 MW is being built in West Halmahera to cope with the power shortage in the area.(*)