A planned geothermal power development at the Gunung Ungaran Geothermal Working Area (WKP) in Central Java, Indonesia has drawn strong local opposition just shortly after the WKP was awarded to PT PLN as announced during the 12th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention & Exhibition (IIGCE).
Members of the local community have expressed concerns over the potential impact of the project on agriculture, water supply, and the tourism sector. Residents are particularly adamant to protect historical sites, including the temple in the Gedong Songo area. The opposition has already manifested as an online petition with a few thousand signatures.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) assures that the project is currently only in its exploration and feasibility study stage, and that it still has to go through several approval processes. Each stage will consider technical data, environmental aspects, permits, and the social and community welfare. Exploration drilling is not expected until late 2028 or early 2029 and only if all preparation and licensing stages go according to plan.
Agus Sugiharto, Head of the Central Java Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, further added that the government and involved parties will conduct social studies and outreach at the local communities on the later half of 2026. Feedback from the communities will inform the plans, permits and engineering designs for road access.
Agus stated that the community had the right to express their objections, but he also urged them not to panic, as the project had not even started its exploration phase. He also requested that the project not be judged on unfounded accusations, including rumors of where the wells will be drilled. Such information will only be decided once all the technical and social evaluations have been completed.
Yoga Aribowo, a geothermal expert from the Department of Geology at Diponegoro University, explained that various studies have already been done that support the existence of a geothermal resource at Gunung Ungaran. Studies indicate that the reservoir is located at a depth of around 2000 meters. However, the exact reservoir parameters and resource size can only be confirmed with exploration drilling.
Source: Tribun Banyumas, Kompas.com, Hijau Bisnis, Lingkar Jateng
