Govt not yet take stance over PLN furor

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Monday (Feb. 5) that the government had not yet decided its stance over new multimillion-dollar payment claims directed to state electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). Purnomo said that the government's stance would be taken after members of the Keppres 133/2000 team, namely the electricity special team established based on Presidential Decree No. 133/2000, met and make a position concerning claims to PLN by PT Enico National Development and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

"Concerning claims by MIGA and a review decision by the Supreme Court on the case of PT Enico National Development, those must become a collective decision by the Keppres 133/2000 team. We have not yet conducted a meeting, but we have tasked the team's executives to see these matters," he said.

The Supreme Court (MA), through an instruction issued by MA deputy chairman Drs. H. Taufik, SH, MH, No. WKMA/019/I/2001, dated Jan. 15, told PLN to pay a total of Rp 46.6 billion to Enico over their disputes on the ass valley (ash disposal work) project for Suralaya steam-powered power plant in West Java, that was financed by the 1989/1999 state budget.

In addition, the state electricity company was also required to pay US$15 million to MIGA, an insurance arm of the World Bank, for the cancellation of Pasuruan power plant in East Java. (*)