"Power supplies can no longer be delayed. We can not order investors to wait for power supplies. (If that is the case), they will move to other places," Jokowi said.Pohuwatu, Gorontalo (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has stated that the country can no longer delay the construction of more power plants needed to baoost economic growth.
"Power supplies can no longer be delayed. We can not order investors to wait for power supplies. (If that is the case), they will move to other places," he said, while inaugurating the operation of a gas-fueled power plant with a capacity of 2x50 MW in Pohuwatu district, Gorontalo province, on Friday.
All sectors, including the manufacturing industry, tourism industry and households, need electrical power, Jokowi said.
It will be useless to improve operations when power supplies are insufficient, he said. "For instance, the licensing procedure that we have improved will be meaningless if power supplies are not available."
By accelerating the construction of gas-fueled power plants, three provinces in the country now have safe power supplies, The President noted.
"One of them is Gorontalo, which now has an electrical power surplus of 45 MW," Jokowi said.
It was noted that construction of a gas-fueled power plant can be completed earlier than a coal-fired power plant, he said. For it takes six to seven months to build a gas-fueled power plant, while construction of a coal-fired power plant needs four to five years, he added.
The president further ordered the immediate completion of a delayed power plant with a capacity of 2x25 MW in North Gorontalo district.
"There is still one power plant with a capacity of 2x25 MW which has come to a standstill since 2007. I want it to be completed to augment power supplies," he said.
Jokowi added that the president director of state electricity company (PLN) has pledged to complete the project, which costs Rp396 billion, by the end of 2017. "It has only been 47 percent completed and I will continue to check it," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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