RI agrees to join energy project

RI agrees to join energy project

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and energy companies from a consortium
of six industrialized countries signed yesterday a letter of
intent on renewable energy to conduct pilot-phase activities
implemented jointly.

Renewable energy includes solar, wind, hydraulic, geothermal
and other energy sources that are abundant and environment-
friendly, with solar and wind being the more widely used in
Indonesia.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja told a
news meeting that the letter covered a voluntary program between
the countries for conducting feasibility studies on reducing the
effects of greenhouse gases.

The five year energy project comprises financing, technology
transfer, human resources development and technical assistance to
the government and private sector, he said.

Sarwono said the terms of the pilot-phase project were non-
binding and received voluntary support from the government and
the private sector.

He did not elaborate on the value of the investment or what
cost per unit would be passed on to the consumer.

Sarwono said that upon the success of the programs, power
facilities using this type of energy would be built in other
parts of Indonesia and run by the state-owned electricity
company, PLN.

The six other companies involved in the program are EDF of
Italy, Kansai of Japan, RWE Energie AG of Germany, SCE of the
United States, TEPCO of Italy, Hydro Quebec and Ontario Hydro of
Canada.

The letter of intent was signed by the ministry office
secretary Sudarsono and Ontario Hydro's executive vice president
John Fox. (01)