Investment on 27 private power plants totals US$18b
Wednesday, June 28 2000 - 03:00 AM WIB
Minister of Mines and Energy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Tuesday that the current investment value of the 27 private power plants in the country totaled US$18 billion.
Speaking at a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission VIII on mines and energy, Susilo Bambang said that out of the 27 projects, 8 projects were ready for operation, 1 project in its commissioning stage, and 18 projects had been terminated.
He said that the government, together with state electricity firm PT PLN, were currently re-negotiating with the eight power projects that were ready for operation.
Currently, he said, the government and PLN had signed interim agreements with owners of four projects and re-negotiating the final agreements with the owners of these four projects, namely Gunung Salak, Wayang Windu, Sengkang and Paiton I.
The government was also in a re-negotiation stage over its interim agreement with owners of Dieng project.
The government was also re-negotiating final agreements with owners of the three other power projects, namely Darajat, Pare-Pare and Cikarang.
And the project in its commissioning stage was the Paiton II project.
Meanwhile, out of the 18 terminated projects, the government had signed a termination agreement with owners of Tanjung Jati A. The government was entering a final re-negotiation with owners of Tanjung Jati B and re-negotiating with owners of 17 other projects.
Besides the power projects, Susilo Bambang also explained about the funds collected form coal miners and the drafting of the oil and gas bill.
Speaking on coal fund, Susilo Bambang said that the government's coal fund had reached Rp 985.86 billion as of the end of 1999. The fund is projected to reach Rp 1.3 trillion this year. He said he agreed with the Commission VIII's suggestion to use the fund for the development of coal industry in Indonesia and not for other purposes.
On the bill, Bambang said that his office was currently coordinating with various government institutions, including the Ministry of Law and Legislation, to improve the draft of the oil and gas bill, that had been returned to the government by the House in 1999. He promised to present the bill to the House in July. (*)