Govt assigns three SOEs to develop geothermal power
Tuesday, May 10 2016 - 10:44 AM WIB
Yunus Saefulhak, Geothermal Director at the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), said in a statement that in the near future, PLN will be assigned to build a 2x5 MW geothermal power plant in Tulehu, Maluku province and a 60 MW geothermal power plant in Sembalun, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province.
The firm has been assigned to build PLTP Mataloko (3x10 MW) and PLTP Ulumbu (2x5 MW). ?Both are located in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province. With regards PLTP Ulumbu, its capacity will be expanded to 30 MW,? Yunus said.
Meawhile, Pertamina is applying for permits to develop several geothermal working areas. ?Pertamina will however be prioritized to develop PLTP Kotamobagu and PLTP Iyang Argopuro,? he said.
Kotamobagu working area in North Sulawesi province and Iyang Argopuro working area in East Jaa province are actually two old working areas which Pertamina, through its subsidiary PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) once tried to develop. However, PGE discontinued its activities there and returned them to the government because both areas are situated in conservation zones, which were back then out of bounds for geothermal explorations. Now, following the issuance of Geothermal Law No. 21/2014, such areas are no longer out of bounds for geothermal operations. Chapter 5 of the law stipulates geothermal development can be carried out in cross-provincial areas and conservation zones.
?There are several other working areas that will be assigned for Pertmaina to develop,? Yunus said.
Besides, the government will assign Geodipa to develop geothermal resources in Arjuno Welirang in East Java province and Umbul Telemoyo in Central Java province, he said.
He said the assignment given to the three SOEs comes in line with Chapter 28 of Geothermal Law No. 21/2014 which stipulates that the government may assign public service entities or SOEs which are engaged in geothermal business to carry out exploration, exploitation and utilization of geothermal energy.
?Despite the fact they are given assignment, we will carry out verification and evaluation, similar to the ones applied to business entities, on such aspects as exploration commitment and work program,? he said.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon