Purnomo warns of possible failure of 10,000-MW power project

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro warned that the multi-billion-dollar project to build 10,000-Megawatt (MW) coal fired power plants across the country could fail as the timeframe for the completion of the project was too short.

In a meeting with the House of Representatives? Commission VII which among other supervises energy affairs, Purnomo said the project was ?ambitious?.

He asked not be blamed if the project was not completed in 2.5 years as targeted by the government.

The idea of building the 10,000 MW power plants originates from Vice President Yusuf Kalla, who argues that the project was needed to meet the rising demand for power and replace power plants using expensive oil as fuel.

?Ambitious. This is really an ambitious project. We understand that there will be problems in the implementation. I am sure there will be slippage in the implementation. I want to say in this room: in 2009, when the current cabinet ends their job, I don?t want to be blamed if 10,000 MW (project) is not completed,? Purnomo told legislators during the hearing on Monday evening.

According to Purnomo, there are many problems that need to be solved to make the project successful, including problems related to the acquisition of lands, the development of distribution and transmission networks.

?The construction of the 10,000 MW power plants is a plan. If there is a slippage, the 10,000 MW power plants will not come on stream in 2009,? he said.

Meanwhile, State Minister of State Enterprises Sugiharto is still optimistic that the development of the power plants will be completed on schedule as it will be supervised by a coordinating team under the Coordinating Ministry of the Economy.

The coordinating team will be established by virtue of a presidential decree. The government has yet to issue such a decree. (Godang)