House to start deliberating geothermal resources law in February
Monday, January 27 2003 - 08:50 AM WIB
?I guess we shall start debating the law in 2-3 weeks time,? said Tunggul Sirait, a member of a House special team that had drafted the bill. The team is part of the House?s Commission VIII in charge of energy and mineral resources, electricity and science and technology.
Tunggul said the House would formally submit the geothermal resources bill to the government in a couple of days.
The geothermal resources bill will be among the few bills proposed by the House as most of the bills have come from the government.
According to existing legal procedures, government officials will take part in House debates on the bill.
Tunggul said among the most crucial points deliberated by the House special team had been obligations of investors and the division of revenues between the central government and provincial governments.
The bill, a copy of which was made available to Petromindo.Com late last year stipulates that the central government and the regional and governments (provincial and regency governments) have authority to issue licenses to geothermal energy investors.
The bill says that any contract in the sector is effective for 30 years, and that they can be extended. The contract includes exploration and exploitation of geothermal resources, and the operation of geothermal power projects.
Some 40 percent of the world?s geothermal resources are located in Indonesia. (leo)