Govt to develop 1,174 MW hydro power plants

The government aims to develop a combined 1,174 MW hydro power plants as part of the second phase 10,000 MW fast track electricity development program, which forms part of the strategy to develop renewable energy.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said in a statement received Thursday that there are six provinces in the country with huge potential where mini hydro power plants can be developed. The six provinces included Papua with potential of 12,725 MW, East Kalimantan (6,743 MW), South Sulawesi, West Kalimantan, North Sumatra, and Aceh.

The statement said that the hydro power potential through the country is estimated at 75,670 MW, of which only about 5.6 percent or 4,200 MW has been utilized. Currently, the combined capacity of large and small scale hydro power plants operating in 10 locations in the country is 1,941 MW.

The large hydro power plants are Cirata (1,000 MW), Saguling (700 MW) and Jatiluhur (150 MW). The Papua and North Sumatra provincial administrations plan to develop large hydro power plants, with a capacity of 2,000 MW and 763 MW, respectively.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak