T

he Maluku administration is set to develop micro hydropower generating stations in the near future in a bid to address the power crisis still plaguing much of the province, where 340 of 800 villages are still not linked up to the power grid.

Maluku Regional Investment Coordinating Board (BKPMD) head Abdul Rachman Soumena said the administration would forge a partnership with PT Rekayasa Industri to develop the micro hydropower plants.

He added the use of eco-friendly and renewable hydroelectricity was expected to be a solution for the local administration in overcoming the power crisis in villages not yet linked to the power network.

"Micro hydropower is very suitable for rural areas. The important thing is the available water source that can be used to generate power through water turbines. The generators are also cheap and affordable for up to 700 families," Soumena told The Jakarta Post recently.

He added Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu was even expecting funds for the province's National Community Empowerment Program (PNPM) Mandiri Pedesaan to be allocated for the hydropower program as well as to develop clean water management.

"Rather than use the PNPM funds on ambiguous programs, it's better to use them for positive programs, the benefits of which will be immediately felt by the community. The most basic needs of people now are clean water and power," Soumena said.

Water Resource Management head Anton Lailossa from the provincial Development Planning Board (Bappeda) said all Bappeda heads from regencies and municipalities across Maluku had met the previous week to discuss the micro hydropower program.

He added Maluku's geographical condition as an island province had led to costly power investment, thus making it a challenging task to link remote areas to the power grid.

"The solution is to develop micro hydroelectric energy to generate power. Besides being cheap, its potential is readily available in rural areas, as all it needs is just a small creek to develop a micro hydroelectric station," he said adding the project was expected to run within the year.

Maluku Mines and Energy Agency head Chris Hehanussa told the Post that hydroelectricity was not just free and environmentally friendly compared to other alternative energies, but also very cheap in terms of operational costs.

The provincial administration will also develop coal and geothermal as power generation sources. Soumena said the provincial administration had signed an agreement with Chinese investor King Hope Holdings International Pte. Ltd. for the purpose.

They will conduct preliminary studies soon. The project is expected to commence in April, after the elections.

Maluku has geothermal power potential of around 250 megawatts scattered across a number of sites, including on Buru, Ambon, Naruku and Nusalaut islands.