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Govt still plans to reach 35,000 MW target: Senior minister
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Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan (third right) observes inquiries raised by lawmakers during a hearing with the House of Representatives in Jakarta. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
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oordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has said the government is still working toward achieving its electrification target of 35,000 megawatts (MW) amid the tough challenges it is facing regarding power plant development.
“In the meeting with National Energy Council (DEN), we have learned that we need 30 percent of reserves. So, we have to achieve the target of 35,000 MW,” he said, adding that the country currently only had 7 percent of electricity reserves as reported by tribunnews.com.
He expressed his optimism that the government could achieve the target, which would include contributions from the development of renewable energy and energy conservation.
(Read also: Ongoing 35,000 MW project needs rethinking: Jokowi)
Funding for renewable energy development was not an issue, Luhut said, adding that the cost was relatively cheap at 4 US cents per kilowatt.
Solar panels and wind turbines were possible additional energy sources that could be developed by the government, he further said.
The 35,000 MW project targeted to be completed by 2019—an ambitious program introduced by President Joko “Jokowi” Widoodo—is basically a continuation of a 10,000 MW policy launched by then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his first presidential term in 2005. (bbn)
