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Jokowi demands progress on stalled power plant projects
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An activist lies in front of the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta on April 1 during a rally to protest against a coal-fired power plant project in Batang, Central Java. (ANTARA FOTO/Widodo S. Jusuf)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called on his Cabinet members to accelerate the construction of power plants in regions prone to blackouts. At least 30 power plant projects are known to have been in limbo for years.
Following an inspection of several power plant projects in Bangka Belitung, Aceh, West Kalimantan, Gorontalo, East Nusa Tenggara and Bali, the President blamed the stalled projects for causing power outage in the regions.
He pointed out that a power plant project in West Kalimantan had stalled almost eight years ago, while another in Gorontalo, Sulawesi has been in limbo since 2007.
"In Lombok, two of three power plant projects are progressing, while the third has stalled," Jokowi said at a limited Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Wednesday.
While working to resolve the issue, the government would deploy mobile power plants as a temporary solution to deal with power outages.
Jokowi expressed his expectation to have more private companies invest in power plants, particularly with renewable energy projects such as geothermal, hydro and micro-hydro power plants. (ags)
