Govt to Transform Dams into Power Plants
27 November 2014 14:40 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Public Works and Housing Ministry is teaming with state-owned electricity firm PT PLN to build hydro power plants (PLTA) by utilizing several dams across Indonesia. Mudjiadi, the ministry’s water resources director general, said the ministry was researching 203 dams to be turned into PLTAs.
“We are studying and will find out the results in December,” said Mudjadi on Thursday. The study results will determine how many PLTAs can be built.
According to Mudjiadi, there are only 5.5 percent dam potential used for electricity—around five gigawatt—while Indonesia has 70 gigawatt of hydropower potential.
Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimujono said the plans to build the power plants were also included in every reservoir whose construction was still afoot. The government is currently working on 16 reservoirs and will build 49 dams.
ALI HIDAYAT