Pertamina to invest $9.7m in S. Sumatra geothermal power plant

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a unit of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina will invest US$9.7 million to build the 2x55 MW Lumut Balai geothermal power plant in South Sumatra, Sriwjaya Post reported Tuesday.

Project leader Bambang Guntur said during a recent meeting with the regent of Muaraenim, Kamaluddin, that PGE would soon begin to explore for geothermal resources in the area.

He said that the drilling equipment and other facilities were expected to arrive in the area by the end of this month so that drilling activities could be carried out beginning the end of December.

According to him, the company would in the first stage carry out drilling activities at least on 17 geothermal wells in the area. Each well is expected to be able to generate electricity of about one megawatt.

Earlier, CEO Bambang Kustono said that PGE will partner with other companies to build the Lumut Balai power plant with capacity of 2x110 MW power plant. (*)