A preparatory meeting was held ahead of construction work for supporting infrastructure as part of implementation of the Kepahiang geothermal project in Bengkulu, Indonesia. The upcoming phase of the project will involve the construction of roads and bridges to the proposed drilling site. The target is to complete this work by November 2026.
In attendance at the meeting were representatives from state electricity company PLN, PT Cakrawala Kepahiang Geothermal (PT CKG), the Kepahiang Regency Government, the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, and community leaders.
With estimated reserves of 180 MW, the Kepahiang Geothermal Working Area (WKP) was awarded to PT Mitra Cakrawala International (PT MCI) in September 2025 through the Geothermal Energy Exploration and Capacity Acceleration (GEECA) scheme. The Kepahiang WKP had previously been assigned to PLN. The management of the project is done through the company’s subsidiary, PT Cakrawala Kepahiang Geothermal (PT CKG).
The road and bridge improvement work will cover about 12 kilometers. In addition to the technical aspect of construction, the local government must also ensure that social and environmental factors are considered. One such example is the impact of the road widening and improvement work on lands or crops owned by the local community. The Kepahiang Regency Government assures that all landowners affected by the construction work will be compensated as evaluated by the Public Appraisal Services Office.
The local government and other parties involved also acknowledge the importance of close communication and engagement with host communities to ensure that the project will run smoothly and be finished on schedule. Thus, negotiations will continue to ensure that the development can proceed according to plan while still considering the interests of the communities around the access route.
