Qatar to invest US$900 million to build coal-fired power plants in Riau
Wednesday, April 2 2008 - 01:49 AM WIB
The Batang Peranap power plant needs an investment of at least US$300 million, while the Indragiri mine-mouth power plant needs an investment of US$600 million.
?Construction of the two coal-fired power plant projects should be realized soon. However, investors from Qatar questioned the regulatory issues in Indonesia,? said Alwi Shihab, special envoy for the Middle-East assigned by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, after meeting with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, on Tuesday.
Under the plan drawn up in 2007, the Indragiri power plant will be constructed jointly by PT Ridlatama Energi and Main Power Holding from Qatar and Bahrain. The project will take three years to complete. The funding will come from Qatar Islamic Bank, with Islamic Financing Scheme used.
Alwi said that the government was expected to respond to what Qatar Islamic Bank needs with regard to permit and regulatory issues so that the projects could be realized soon given the serious power problem facing Sumatra. (godang/bernard)