Lita Aruperes The Jakarta Post 27 Dec 16;
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated on Tuesday three geothermal power plant (PLTP) infrastructure projects worth Rp 6.18 trillion (US$532.07 million) belonging to state oil and gas firm Pertamina.
The projects comprise the development of PLTP Lahendong unit 5 and 6 with a capacity of 2 x 20 Megawatts (MW) in Tompaso, North Sulawesi. The construction of the Rp 3.3 trillion-worth projects started on July 5, 2015. The third project is the construction of PLTP Ulubeli unit 3 with a capacity of 1 x 55 MW in Tanggamus, Lampung. The construction of the Rp 2.8 trillion project started in July 5, 2015.
Jokowi said Indonesia had vast geothermal power plant potential, which reached 29,000 MW. “Only 5 percent of the total potential has been utilized, which is still very small. The remaining 95 percent must be utilized. We are targeting to utilize 7,500 MW of our geothermal power plant potentials,” said Jokowi during the inauguration of the new power plants in Manado.
PLTP Lahendong unit 5 was finished on Sept.15, while unit 6 was completed on Dec.9, although the two power plants had been targeted to be completed by December and June 2017, respectively. Targeted to be finished in August, PLTP Ulubelu unit 3 was included in the Tanggamus electricity system on July 26, or one month earlier.
“Pertamina, as the mother company of Pertamina Geothermal Energy [PGE], appreciates all PGE workers who have proven their main competency by completing these projects earlier than scheduled so we can immediately help the government expand electricity services,” said Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto. (ebf)
