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Indonesian government urges Bali to rethink opposition to geothermal plans

Indonesian government urges Bali to rethink opposition to geothermal plans A Sacred Journey from the Sea to the Mountains, Lake Beratan, Bedugul, Bali, Indonesia (source: flickr/ januartha, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 4 Sep 2012

Despite efforts by the Indonesian governments to push for geothermal development in Bali, the local government and the general public continue to oppose development of a 165 MW geothermal plant in a forest conservation area close to Denpasar based on cultural, environmental and religious grounds.

At a recent visit to Bali, Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister convinced all parties and “the tourist industry in particular, that the island will not face shortages in electricity despite the cancellation of the plan to develop a geothermal plant in the Bedugul area.

Jero admitted he did not understand why so many people in Bali had rejected the development of a geothermal power plant, which would provide additional electricity for the island.

“The development of geothermal plants has been a main priority for the central government so that it can create a sustainable supply of energy for the whole nation,” the minister said.

There is a strong opposition in Bali towards the planned construction of a geothermal power plant about 70 kilometers north of Denpasar.

The governor of Bali confirmed again that his administration rejects the planned project with the majority of the Balinese community rejecting the project based on religious, cultural and also environmental grounds.

The planned plant would have a capacity of 165 MW, which is a significant power supply to the island. Today Bali is heavily dependent on electricity supplied from the neighboring island of Java with frequent blackouts.

Bali’s economy depends on tourism and a variety of big international events hosted on the island, so reliant electricity supply is crucial. The dependency on electricity from Java through undersea cables, as well as the blackouts, forces policymakers on the island to search for alternatives. Geothermal energy was seen as an option, as elsewhere in Indonesia.

The planned geothermal power project in Bedugul, however faces strong opposition, as it would have to be built within a forest conservation area. Religious leaders of the island also object the project, as Bedugul and Batukaru mountain are sacred points for the island.

So far there seem to be no grounds for an agreement that would see development of a geothermal power project in Bali.

Source: The Jakarta Post, Bali Daily