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PT Medco Energi started initial survey for Bonjol geothermal prospect, West Sumatra

PT Medco Energi started initial survey for Bonjol geothermal prospect, West Sumatra Lake Maninjau crater lake, West Sumatra, Indonesia (source: flickr/ Indrani Soemardjan, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 25 Sep 2019

During a recent meeting in West Sumatra region, ESDM and EBTKE representatives reported that PT Medco Energi has started initial survey on the 60 MW geothermal prospect of Bonjol in Pasaman Regency, West Sumatra. At the same time they suggest social engagement with local stakeholders similar to that of PT Supreme Energy.

During a recent local meeting, Hery Martinus, Head of the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) of West Sumatra Province said the potential of the Bonjol Geothermal Power Plant in Pasaman Regency will be managed by PT Medco Energi Internasional Tbk.

“Bonjol’s geothermal potential with a capacity of 60 MW has already been auctioned, and the developer is PT Medco, now they have started the initial survey,” he said while accompanying EBTKE Director General FX Sutijastoto to review Solok Selatan geothermal project earlier this month.

For the development of geothermal energy in West Sumatra, developers can learn from PT Supreme Energy in South Solok where they have been able to identify problems. For example, rejection by the community can be resolved properly, rejection occurs because their understanding is not right and social approaches are not right.

Therefore, he said, before PT Medco started technical matters, it was better to approach the community first.

“The success of Supreme Energy can be an example for other investors in West Sumatra, namely how to do a good social approach,” he said. He said the social approach must be in accordance with the habits of the surrounding community and that could be done by empowering the potential in the area.

As for Bonjol’s geothermal management in Pasaman, he said, his party would invite PT Supreme Energi to share their experiences of how since 2008 they have identified social problems and made solutions to them. According to him with the right social approach, everything will go easy and understanding the community is also not wrong.

The geothermal project itself is said to be an environmentally friendly and safe project. “If the 18 points of geothermal potential in West Sumatra are well managed, then this province could become an energy barn,” he said.

Source: Antara News