Govt plans a road show to lure overseas energy investors

The government will soon hold a road show in several countries including Japan, Europe and the United States in a bid to attract the world?s major investors to invest in the Indonesian energy and electricity sectors, Neraca reported on Thursday.

?Next month, there will a special team to hold a road show in several countries in a bid to promote the country?s energy and electricity to overseas investors,? Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said in Jakarta Wednesday.

The road show will, among others, be held in London to coincide with the gathering of consumers and producers in Amsterdam, he said, adding that the road show in Europe will be led by Coordinating Minister of Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti.

According to Purnomo, investing in the Indonesian energy and electricity sectors will be much more attractive these days after major financial institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank for International Corporation (JBIC) agreed to guarantee the political risk of investing in Indonesia?s energy and electricity sector.

The WB estimates that Indonesia will need additional electricity supply of about 8,000 MW by 2010. This will cost Indonesia about US$30 billion. The state owned electricity company will be able only to meet 30 percent of the power needs. (*)