"Construction has been 42 percent completed. Hopefully, it would be completed in December, 2019 or earlier than previous target of 2020," Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimulyono said here on Friday.
The Way Sekampung dam has a holding capacity of 68 million cubic meters of water to be used for irrigation of 72,713 hectares of rice fields mainly in the district of Pringsewu. It would also help reducing flooding by 185 cubic meters per second and generate 5.4 megawatts of hydro power.
The dam would also provide standard water for Kota Bandar Lampung, Metro and the district of Lampung Selatan 2.48 cubic meters per second. It would also be tourist object in the district of Pringsewu.
Minister Basuki said the project would cost around Rp1.7 trillion built in by two state-owned contractors PT. PP with a contract of Rp873 billion and PT. Waskita Karya Rp829 billion.
The province of Lampung as a national rice barn also has another dam project Margatiga dam now being built with a capacity of 142 million cubic meters of water in the river of Mesuji Sekampung.
The Margatiga dam project in the sub-district of Margatiga, Lampung Timur will irrigate 10,950 hectares of rice fields and provide standard water 800 liters per second. It is being built by PT. Waskita Karya with a contract of Rp813 billion.
The government plans to build 65 dams in 2015-2019 including 16 dams carried over from the plan by the previous government and 49 new ones.
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
