Govt plans under sea electricity cable

The government plans to develop an underwater electricity cable linking Sumatra and Java islands, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Chairul Tanjung said on Thursday.

Chairul said that the electricity cable will distribute electricity produced in Sumatra with consumers in the heavily-populated island of Java. ?Sumatra is rich with coal,? he said, adding that the planned project is expected to be started before the end of the tenure of the current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono administration this year.

He said that new coal-fired power plants will be developed in Sumatra. (*)