Star Energy eyes new geothermal projects
Thursday, June 22 2017 - 03:13 AM WIB
Petromindo|Khalsa
Geothermal power plant operator PT Star Energy is looking to participate in upcoming government tender for new geothermal working areas, Kontan reported on Thursday.
The paper quoted Star Energy President Director Rudy Suparman as saying that the company is currently studying the economic feasibility of the geothermal working areas to be offered by the government including by taking into account the latest ministerial regulations. ?We?re interested in participating in the tender, but we?ll also look into their locations, whether they?re economical or not,? he told the paper.
A consortium led by Star Energy in April completed the acquisition Chevron?s geothermal assets in Indonesia and the Philippines. The Chevron assets in Indonesia include the Salak and Darajat geothermal fields, which generate 413 MW of electricity. The acquisition forms part of Star Energy?s ambition of becoming one of the world?s largest geothermal power plant operators.
The government has said that there will be five geothermal working areas (WKPs) to be offered to investors via tender with combined power generation capacity of 330 MW. The five WKPs are Muara Bulung, in Southeast Sulawesi Province with potential generating capacity of 20 MW; Oka Iliange, in West Nusa Tenggara (20 MW); Jailolo, in Maluku Utara (60 MW); Simbolon Samosir, North Sumatra (220 MW); and Sirung, Alor, in East Nusa Tenggara (10 MW).
Director General of New and Renewable Energy Rida Mulyana said recently that the government is expected to hold tender for five geothermal working areas in July of this year after a new regulation on tender mechanism has been completed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Director of Geothermal Yunus Saefulhak said that under the new regulation, the objective of the tender will not be on the price of electricity from geothermal project but on work program and exploration commitment of the developers. ?The bid will not be on the electricity price, but on the work program and exploration commitment,? he said. (*)