President Jokowi Inaugurates Gorontalo Power Plant

President Jokowi inaugurates 100 MW Gorontalo Gas Engine Power Plant on Friday (3/6), in Pohuwato, Gorontalo

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on Friday (3/6), inaugurated 100 Mega Watt (MW) Gorontalo Gas Engine Power Plant project located in Meleo Village, Gorontalo Province, as part of the Government’s 35,000 MW electricity program to meet people’s demand.

We must meet the electricity needs as soon as possible; hence, the Government promulgated a Presidential Regulation on Acceleration of Electricity Infrastructure Development, President Jokowi said.

“I think investors who intend to invest in Gorontalo will not come back if we ask them to wait the construction of power plant to be finished. The investors will withdraw their proposals once they know there is no electricity here because industry and hotels need electricity. They will withdraw and invest to other provinces or even other countries,” the President explained in his remarks during the inauguration of Gorontalo Power Plant on Friday (3/6) in Pohuwato, Gorontalo.

The situation will reoccur if we did not solve the problem. It seems that the investment will enter the region, but regional deficiency in electricity make the investors step down. Even when the permits are improved, we will not get the investment if there is no electricity, the President added.

President Jokowi also instructed all to finish the power plant project in Gorontalo that has been halted.

“The power plant has not made any progress since 2007. We hope the 2×25 MW capacity gas engine power plant can be finished and can generate more electricity supply,” President Jokowi said.

“We spent Rp396 billion to fund the project. How come the project stopped and no one bats an eye? The same situation also occurs in Pontianak, the power plant worth Rp1.5 trillion has halted since 8 years ago. I warn you not to underestimate it because I will always monitor and check the development of the project,” the President added.

In his remarks, President Jokowi appreciated the acceleration in Gorontalo power plant that only took 7 months to finish, be it the preparation, land acquisition process, construction, and assembly of the machines.

Once the power plant starts operating, Gorontalo Province will have a surplus electricity supply of 45 MW. There will be three provinces, including Gorontalo, which can meet the electricity demand of the people.

“Building a power plant that uses gas is a better way to meet the electricity needs of the people because building a power plant that uses coal takes 4 to 5 years to finish; yet, most of our major power plants use coal,” President Jokowi stated.

Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, and Managing Director of State-owned Electricity Company PT. PLN Sofyan Basyir also attended the inauguration. (DNK/FID/ES)(RAS/EP/YM/Naster)