A Quick Win of Geothermal Exploration, Cisolok-Cisukarame Reduces Upstream Risks, Says Official

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 327.Pers/04/SJI/2021

Date: 16 September 2021

A Quick Win of Geothermal Exploration, Cisolok-Cisukarame Reduces Upstream Risks, Says Official

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) is promoting the use of new, renewable energy, such as geothermal energy, to fulfill the 23 percent target of renewable energy share in the national energy mix. Geothermal energy has been used to generate 2,175.7 Megawatt (MW) of electricity or 9.2% of the total potential. The Ministry of EMR has set a target of 9.3 Gigawatt (GW) of geothermal installed capacity by 2035.

Head of Center for Mineral, Coal, and Geothermal Resources of the Ministry of EMR, Iman K. Sinulingga, said the government had adopted a quick wins program in geothermal exploration to meet the target.

"The program is one of our efforts to reduce upstream risks so that we can increase the economies of geothermal projects and attract investment in the new, renewable energy subsector at a competitive price," said Iman.

The Cisolok-Cisukarame prospect is the first location where the quick win will be carried out. The site is located within the Mount Halimun Salak National Park in Sukabumi Regency, West Java Province.

"It is estimated that the Cisolok-Cisukarame has a geothermal potential of 45 MW, with a plan to develop a 20 MW geothermal power plant. The data acquisition until the geothermal drilling activities have fulfilled the licensing requirements and technical aspects in geothermal business as well as comply with the principles of Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental Protection (K3LL)," Iman explained.

Before the spudding-in started, the project had obtained approval on its documents of Environmental Management Efforts (UKL) and Environmental Monitoring Efforts (UPL), and bagged the Environmental Approval from Sukabumi Regency government, the Permit to Use and Exploit Surface Water (SIPPA) from West Java Provincial government, and the approval to Use the Environment for Geothermal Projects (PJLPB) from the Ministry for the Environment and Forestry.

"The Cisolok-Cisukarame geothermal development plan has also been covered in the Spatial Planning of Sukabumi Regency for 2012-2031, and complied with the provisions of Law Number 21 of 2014 on Geothermal Energy and Law Number 11 of 2021 on Job Creation," Iman emphasized.

Law Number 21 of 2014 on Geothermal Energy and Law Number 11 of 2021 on Job Creation set out that geothermal development activities that include exploration, exploitation, and operation production within conservation areas including National Parks may be carried out in the utilization zones under the mechanism of the use of the environment for geothermal projects.

"To fulfill the geothermal exploration requirements in forest areas, we've also prepared the environmental documents of UKL-UPL by considering the initial condition and environmental management aspects; we refer to the provisions of the Environmental and Forestry regulations which state that the exploration stage of geothermal activities that do not pose significant impacts are exempt from the AMDAL (environmental impact assessment) obligation; so, the UKL-UPL will suffice," Iman added.

The government is committed to provide electricity for people's welfare, including by utilizing geothermal energy in national parks, while still paying attention to the preservation of conservation areas.

"The geothermal exploration at the Cisolok-Cisukarame prospect, which is partly located in the Mount Halimun Salak National Park, is one of the breakthroughs in providing clean energy to meet people's needs while maintaining a synergy with area management, including biodiversity conservation," Iman concluded.

For the record, good engineering practices has been adopted in the geothermal utilization in the Mount Halimun Salak National Park since 1994 with the operation of the 377 MW Mount Salak Geothermal Power Plant. The power plant operation proves that the use of geothermal energy in national parks can be made in synergy with the preservation of forest area environment although the power plant is one of the largest in the Java-Madura-Bali (Jamali) power grid system. (IY)

Head of Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services, and Cooperation

Agung Pribadi (08112213555)

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