Minister Jonan: 35,000 MW Program Completion Will be Delayed
25 January 2017 20:58 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan predicted that the construction of 35,000 megawatt (MW) power plants would not be fully completed in 2019 due to the economic slowdown.
Jonan explained the project was designed with an assumption of economic growth of 8 percent per year. However, Indonesia managed to attain an annual economic growth of 5 percent over the last two years.
“The economy is estimated to grow by 5.2 percent this year,” he said in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 25, 2017.
Despite the pessimism, the energy minister promised that the project would not be scrapped.
“[The project] is not to be stopped, but it’s impossible to complete by 2019,” Jonan said.
Indonesian Coal Miners Association chairman Pandu Syahrir predicted that the project completion could be delayed at least 6 years. According to Pandu, the 35,000 mw project must be completed, since the electricity deficit has been in an alarming state.
Pandu ensured that many business owners would participate in power plant investments. He calmed that the amount of investment would be much higher when compared to that in the coal glorious era back in 2011.
VINDRY FLORENTIN