Expert: Gunung Ungaran Geothermal Project Must Ensure Transparency
Semarang (ANTARA) - Environmental science expert Professor Sudharto P. Hadi has emphasised that the initiators of the Gunung Ungaran Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) project and the government must be transparent with the public.
“The initiators and the government must be open. What are the impacts of geothermal energy? Furthermore, the community must also be able to voice their grievances,” he stated when confirmed in Semarang on Friday.
According to him, there are public concerns that the Gunung Unglaran PLTP project will disrupt local lives, damage agricultural land, and affect cultural heritage sites.
He acknowledged that while the potential for geothermal energy is vast and relatively environmentally friendly compared to other energy sources, these resources are often located within conservation forest areas.
“For example, in Bedugul, Bali. The Balinese community rejected it because it is located in a conservation forest, even in areas they traditionally protect. That is the challenge,” he said.
Similarly, for the Gunung Ungaran PLTP, which spans Semarang and Kendal Regencies, local residents have expressed opposition due to fears of environmental degradation and damage to cultural heritage sites.
He stated that the community’s concerns regarding the negative impacts of the project must be respected and addressed through transparency to alleviate public anxiety.
“So, when there is a project where the community is worried or fearful, we must respect that. The government must be open. Regarding geothermal energy like this, the capacity, the turbines, and the impacts—everything must be transparent,” he said.
The former Rector of Diponegoro University, Semarang, reminded that Indonesia has a history of critical development projects, such as the Kedungombo Dam, the cement factory in Rembang, and the Batang Coal-Fired Power Plant.
“Therefore, we must be careful; we must learn from those instances. Transparency is the key. Transparency and participation may come at a high cost, but in the long run, the sustainability of the project will be more guaranteed,” he said.
This is because, he argued, the interests of the community will be accommodated, and when they participate in the process, they feel like part of the decision-making process.
He noted that reform demands transparency and accountability, as these are essential, and that the space for participation should be broad.
“However, it should not just be about providing space. If it is only about space, it remains a mere procedure. It must reach the level of substance. This means that the opinions, aspirations, and suggestions from the community must be accommodated in decision-making, provided they are relevant,” he said.
The development of geothermal energy through the Gunung Ungaran PLTP project previously faced public opposition, with several petitions gathering thousands of signatures.
The rejection stems from the project’s location near the Gedong Songo Temple cultural site in Semarang Regency, leading to fears of adverse environmental impacts on the surrounding area.