Pertamina ready to inject funds to Dieng-Patuha power plants

State oil and gas Pertamina has expressed its readiness to inject fresh funds to the stalled geothermal-powered power plant in Dieng, Central Java, and Patuha, West Java, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Tuesday.

Pertamina president Baihaki Hakim told journalists in Cisarua, Bogor, on Monday that his company was ready to cooperate with state electricity company PLN or even a new operator that would be appointed by the government to run the two power plants.

He contended that Pertamina was interested in the two power plants because it had been involved in geothermal energy.

"Whatever the reasons, we are ready, whether as the shareholder or as operator. but we don't close the possibility to cooperate with other parties that may be appointed by the government because there are prevailing thinking that those power plants be managed by a new state company that will be established by the government," he said.

Earlier, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that the government would ask PLN and Pertamina to invest a total of US$300 million to revive the 60-megawatt Dieng geothermal power plant in Central Java, and improve its capacity to 3 X 360 megawatts.

Nevertheless, Purnomo said the government also planned to appoint or establish a new company to continue the development of the stalled Dieng power plant, and would assume all obligations and investment costs for the project. (*)