Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said the government had stopped using the state budget to finance renewable energy-based power plant projects, following reports of damaged power plants in a number of regions.
On Wednesday, the ministry's energy conservation and renewable energy director-general, Rida Mulyana, said the development of clean energy projects would be handled by state-owned electricity company PLN.
The ministry had allocated Rp 3.01 trillion (US$224 million) from 2011 to 2017 to construct clean energy power plants. The projects have provided 97,000 households with electricity across Indonesia.
The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) said the damages to 112 government-constructed power plants totaled Rp 467 billion.
Rida had previously stated that only 68 renewable energy plants were damaged. He explained that 55 projects, worth Rp 261 billion, had sustained minor damages, while 13 others, worth Rp 48.85 billion, sustained heavy damages.
Rida said heavy damages at some of the plants had been caused by landslides, flooding or lightning and the plants could not be fully operated. He did not elaborate on the condition of plants that sustained minor damages. (fny/bbn)