Govt asked to continue 11 geothermal power projects

The Association of the Indonesian Geothermal (API) has asked the government to continue 11 geothermal power projects which were suspended in late 1997 as part of retrenchment measures to cope with the severe impact of the country?s worst ever crisis.

The association?s chairman Herman Darnel said in Jakarta on Wednesday that the continued suspension of the 11 geothermal power projects would hamper efforts to provide power supply of about 21,000 megawatts in the next 10 years.

"In the future, the geothermal will be an important alternative in providing power supply in the country," he was quoted as saying. According to him, the 11 geothermal power projects and the existing Lehendong geothermal power plant in Lehendong in West Java have the capacity to generate energy of 3,040 MW.

The 11 projects and status are: Kamojang (stop), Darajat (renegotiation), Salak (renegotiation), Sarulla (stop), Dieng (takeover), Patuha (takeover), Karaha (stop), W. Windu (renegotiation), Cibuni (stop), Bedugul (stop), Sibayak (stop), Lahendong (productive).

As part of retrenchment measures to cope with the crisis which hit the country late 1997, the government suspended a number of mega projects including the 11 geothermal power projects.

Meanwhile, Riki Ibrahim, one of the association?s officers said that Indonesia has the largest resource of geothermal power in the world. But at present, only 5 percent of the potential have been developed. (*)