Road construction set to commence for geothermal project in Bengkulu, Indonesia

North Bengkulu, Indonesia (source: a_rabin / flickr, Creative Commons)

Carlo Cariaga 5 Jun 2023

PT EDC Indonesia, a subsidiary of Philippine-based geothermal developer Energy Development Corporation (EDC), is set to sign an MoU with the Kerinci Regency Government through the Public Works and Public Housing Service (PUPR) for the construction of a road from Lempur in Gunung Raya District, Kerinci to Jangkat in Merangin Regency.

The planned road will provide easier access to the Graho Nyabu geothermal project in the Kerinci and Merangin Regencies in Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. PT EDC Indonesia has been awarded the Preliminary and Exploration Survey Assignment (PSPE) for Graho Nyabu following a tender by the Indonesian government back in 2016. The concession was then awarded to EDC in 2018.

The Graho Nyabu geothermal site has a potential capacity of 110 MW.

According to the Regent of Kerinci Adirozal, the MoU for the road construction will be signed on 14 June 2023. The road will have a width of 4 meters and will pass through the protected forest area of the Kerinci Seblat National Park. Although construction of the road had been planned for a long time, approval from the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia had to be secured first.

Adirozal stated that the road will also provide a way for farmers to transport their agricultural products, and can be an evacuation route should there be an emergency or natural calamity.

Source: Metro Jambi