4 November 2009 - Indonesia's Papua provincial administration is planning to build a 2000 MW hydropower plant to meet electricity demand and to support infrastructure needs in Papua.
"We are finishing the feasibility studies for the hydro-power plant. [It requires] more than Rp5trn ($525m)," Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu told the Jakarta Post after meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"[The plant will eventually generate] 2000 MW in total, but we'll start with a 300 MW power plant and build it in steps."
He said the administration would be one of the financiers in the hydro-power plant project, while also inviting other investors. Barnabas, however, did not disclose the designated time for the studies to be completed or for the plant to commence operation.
Barnabas did not say whether the plan was part of 18 power plants slated to be built in the province by state utility company PT PLN during the 2007-2012 period.
PLN has said that the 18 power plants will include coal, hydro and micro-hydro plants, to meet power demand and lessen the province's dependency on diesel power.
The 18 power plants include the 19.2 MW Genyem hydro plant, expected to commence operation in 2010; two 10 MW coal fired plants at Jayapura Baru to commence operation in 2011-2012 and the 1.1 MW Amai micro-hydro plant, expected to commence operation in 2010.