Prabowo Inaugurates Two Hutama Karya Dams, Boosting Food and Water Security

President Prabowo Subianto, accompanied by Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo, inaugurated five newly completed dams on Friday. The ceremony was held centrally at the Meninting Dam in West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. Two of the five dams were constructed by state-owned enterprise PT Hutama Karya (Persero), namely the Meninting Dam in West Lombok and the Keureuto Dam in North Aceh, Aceh. The inauguration underscores the company’s contribution to realising the government’s Asta Cita goals, particularly food self-sufficiency, water security, and national energy security. The other dams inaugurated were the Jlantah Dam in Karanganyar Regency, Central Java; the Sidan Dam in Gianyar Regency, Bali; and the Rukoh Dam in Pidie Regency, Aceh. All five dams were built between 2015 and 2025, with a combined storage capacity of 371.23 million cubic metres. Collectively, they will support irrigation for up to 39,540 hectares, provide 3.6 cubic metres per second of raw water, reduce flood potential across 932 hectares, and offer potential for hydroelectric power generation of 9.635 MW and floating solar power of 345.94 MW. President Prabowo expressed gratitude for the completion of the dams, noting his administration had achieved historic milestones, including lowering fertiliser prices and achieving a rice surplus for the first time. He urged that the dams be managed professionally and maintained well to ensure water reaches farmers. Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo reiterated the directive that water collected in the dams must be channelled to irrigate rice fields, while also serving as a source of raw water, energy, and flood protection. The Meninting Dam is a National Strategic Project owned by the Ministry of Public Works. Construction began in late 2018 with a total project value of Rp1.473 trillion. Hutama Karya handled Package I, valued at Rp902 billion, through a joint operation with PT Bahagia Bangunnusa, holding an 80 per cent share. The dam is an earth-fill type with a vertical core, standing 74 metres high with a crest length of 418 metres and a total capacity of 12.18 million cubic metres. Impounding began on 29 June 2025. The dam will irrigate 1,559 hectares, benefiting over 3,200 farmers, supply raw water to northern West Lombok including the Senggigi tourist area, support a 0.80 MW hydroelectric plant and 9.23 MW floating solar potential, and reduce flood risk across 59 hectares. Hutama Karya’s Director of Operations I, Gunadi, noted the project faced dynamic geological and weather challenges, leading the company to prioritise digital construction methods, including integrated Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital surveys, photogrammetry, and a Project Management Information System dashboard. The project received the Top Entry in Country award at the Autodesk ASEAN Innovation Awards 2023. Gunadi stated that the trust placed in the company to build two of the five dams is a source of pride and responsibility, emphasising that the true value of the infrastructure is realised when water flows optimally to farmers’ fields. The projects also generated a multiplier effect, employing over 475 local workers and involving corporate social responsibility programmes such as planting 5,000 trees and building village bridges and access roads.