Rekayasa Set To Build More Geothermal Power Plants

Jakarta, Oct 16 (ANTARA) - PT Rekayasa Industri (Rekind) said it is set to build 43 more geothermal power plants (PLTP) included in the government`s crash program in the electricity sector. "We were first involved in construction work but later we were awarded the jobs of engineering and procurement," Rekind`s operation director Dharma Balen said here Tuesday. The state engineering company said it has since 1993 been involved in the development of geothermal power. Dharma said so far Rekind has built 12 units of PLTP and the company hopes to be involved in the development of 43 more units to be built under the crash program. The 12 units of PLTP include Gunung Salak Geothermal Power Plant, Sarulla Unoval power plant , Dieng Geothermal Power Plant, Lahendong II Geothermal Plant and the 4th units of Kamujang Power Plant. Under the second crash program to be carried out by state electricity company PLN, a number of power plants including 43 units of PLTP will be built with a total capacity of 10,000 megawatts. The 43 units of PLTP will have a total capacity of 4.925 MW Implementation of the program is expected to follow immediately after the completion of the first crash program . Work in the first crash program to build coal-fired power plant with a total capacity of 10,000 MW is expected to completed this year or next year. With experience and skilled human resources it has, Rekind is confident it would be awarded a share in the implementation of the 43 units of PLTP, Dharma said. The government has encouraged development of renewable energy including geothermal energy to economize on more expensive oil. Indonesia, which was formerly a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is now a net importer of oil with fast growing oil consumption and dwindling oil reserves. Dharma said now is the right momentum for development of geothermal power with soaring oil prices and growing demand for clean and environmentally friendly energy. Indonesia has the largest geothermal reserves in the world accounting for no less than 40 percent of the world`s total reserves, he said. Currently Rekind is developing geothermal project in WKP Cisolok Sukarame and IPP Mamuju.