US to help RI in power sector development

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said signed on Wednesday an MoU with US Ambassador for Indonesia Robert Blake on Power Working Group, which among others aimed to facilitate cooperation between Indonesia and US companies in the development of power sector including the planned 35,000 MW power projects.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said in a statement that the MoU covers cooperation in various areas including coal emission technology, the use of renewable energy, sharing of experience in energy policy, minimizing the use of solar fuel, development power network in remote areas efficiently, and the use of latest power technology.

?The signing of the MoU is one of our efforts to achieve the 35,000 MW target,? Sudirman said.

The current administration of President Joko Widodo plans to develop a combined 35,000 MW power plants in five years to help increase electrification ratio in the country, of which 5,000 MW to be developed by state-owned power firm PT PLN, and the bulk 30,000 MW by private investors. About 7,000 MW of the targeted capacity will be based on new/renewable energy sources.

Indonesia?s electrification ratio currently stands at 86.39 percent, and is targeted to be increased to 97.4 percent by end of 2019.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak