W. Java asks for govt permits to develop three geothermal working areas

The West Java provincial administration has asked the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry?s approval to develop three more geothermal working areas in the province, Kompas reported on Tuesday.

?We hope the approval can be obtained this year so that we can immediately open the tender for the development of the geothermal working areas,? West Java Governnor Ahmad Heryawan said in Bandung on Monday.

He was speaking to reporters after presenting the permits for two business consortium which won the recent tender to develop two geothermal working areas respectively in Gunung Tangkubanprahu and Gunung Tampomas.

Heryawan said that the West Java had geothermal power potential resources of about 2,949 megawatt located in 36 locations, representing about 92 percent of the geothermal power potential resources in the country.

Previously the West Java authority opened the tender for the development of three geothermal areas including the Gunung Tangkubanprahu area with a capacity of 110 megawatt (MW), the Gunung Tampomas area with a capacity of 50 MW and the Cisoka-Sukarame area with a capacity of 50 MW.

The development of the three geothermal working areas is estimated to absorb investment of at least Rp 3 trillion.

At present, there are four large geothermal power plants in operation in West Java, with total capacity of 770 MW. They include the Kamojang geothermal power plant with a capacity of 140 MW, the Gunung Salak geothermal power plant with a capacity of 375 MW and the Wayang Windu geothermal power plant with a capacity of 110 MW and the Darajat geothermal power plant with a capacity of 145 MW. (*)