JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - President Joko Widodo inaugurate the operation of geothermal power plant (PLTP) Lahendong unit 5 and 6 with capacity 40 megawatts (MW) in North Sulawesi and Ulubelu Unit 3 with capacity 55 MW in Lampung on Tuesday. The two projects own by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) have a capacity 85 megawatts (MW) with total investment US$532.07 million.
Widodo expressed, Indonesia has the potential to build up to 29,000 MW PLTP’s across the nation. The government itself, he added, has plan to develop 7,500 MW until 2019.
According to President Director PT Pertamina Dwi Sutjipto through its unit PGE, the state-own energy firm targeting the PLTP to have capacity 1,037 MW by 2021 from currently 512 MW. President Director of PGE Irfan Zainuddin adding, the company targeting to improved the PLTP’s capacity to 612 MW in 2017.
Minister of Energy and Resources Minerals Ignasius Jonan explained Indonesia aim to develop energy mix to support the fair electricity price for society and to make the industry more competitive. He said, government targeting to build 7,500 MW geothermal power plant projects by 2025.
Irfan continued, starting 2017 develop Karaha Bodas in West Java and Ulubelu 4 with total capacity 90 MW. The next projects are Lumut Balai in South Sumatera will be completed in 2018 and will follow the completion of Bengkulu with capacity and Seulawah Aceh with total capacity 100 MW.
“We are also have projects on exploration stage such as Gunung Lawu in Central Java, Seulawah in Aceh, and on the hill in Bengkulu,” He said
He said, PGE prepared investment US$430 million for all those projects finance by corporate loans from World Bank, Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) and local banks. Lahendong 5 and 6 itselfs need costs approximately $282 million and will electrify 240 thousand households. Later that could later.