B

ali has again rejected a proposal to develop a geothermal power plant in the Bedugul forest reserve over environmental and cultural concerns, despite that the island is facing a major electricity supply shortage.

Governor Made Mangku Pastika announced his office’s rejection of the proposal recently.

“There are several main reasons why we should not accept the proposal, including technical and environmental reasons. I still question the technical safety of developing a geothermal power plant,” he said.

The plan has also stirred religious and cultural controversies and skepticism among local Balinese.

After repeated rejections from the provincial administration and the Balinese community, PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy again proposed the development of the power plant on the grounds that the island was in dire need of its own electricity production.

Bali relies heavily on electricity produced in Java.

In a meeting with local legislators over the weekend, Abadi Purnomo, general manager of PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy, again proposed the plan, saying the plant would produce environmentally friendly energy.

“Its contribution to global warming is miniscule,” Purnomo said.

Geothermal energy has become a priority of the central government, which is concerned about diminishing fossil fuel resources and burdensome energy subsidies.

“According to the government’s energy policy, by the year 2025, around 25 percent of the country’s energy supplies must be generated from renewable energy including geothermal energy,” Purnomo said.

The Bedugul geothermal power plant, he said, would benefit the Bali provincial administration through a profit-sharing scheme.

Citing an example of this, he said PT Pertamina provided Rp 700 billion in profit revenue to the West Java provincial government from the operation of the Gunung Salak and Kamojang geothermal power plants.

The company has said the planned power plant could generate at least 400 megawatts of electricity. However an independent feasibility study showed the design would produce only 175 megawatts. The company has explored three geothermal sources that produce a combined 7 megawatts.

The company, Purnomo added, spent Rp 1.2 billion per year on maintenance for the three sites. If the company ceased operating, it would loose Rp 53.4 billion in investment. In 2005, the Bali Legislative Council issued a decree rejecting a geothermal power plant on the grounds that both the local administration and the community disagreed with the project. Balinese believe the project would disturb the area’s natural harmony. Bedugul is located in a mountainous area that has religious significance. Bedugul is also home to three lakes, which are the island’s main sources of fresh water. Separately, Hindu High Priest Ida Pedanda Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, who is chairman of the Hindu High Priest Council, has put his support behind the power plant.

“We have conducted a thorough study on the plan and found that geothermal is environmentally viable,” the priest said. But he called on PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy to implement a feasibility study to minimize any potential risks.