House Commission VII Deputy Chair Ramson Siagian speaks during a working visit to Cirebon, West Java, on Friday (18/9/2020). Photo: Cas/Man

A team of working visit of the House Commission VII inspected on Friday (18/9/2020) the construction of the coal-fired power plant (PLTU) Unit II operated by PT. Cirebon Electric Power in Cirebon, West Java. The team found that 85 percent of construction has been completed.

“We surely want to check on the progress and the development of the power plant, and the electricity supply in Cirebon as well,” said House Commission VII Deputy Chair, Ramson Siagian, on the sidelines of the visit. “We also want to make sure that its environmental impact on surrounding areas can be kept to a minimum level.”

In the visit, Siagian added, Commission VII also urged Cirebon Power to come up with new technology to reduce the environmental impact. "The fourth and most important point is to prioritize the interests of the local community. I was told that there are some problems with tower construction in certain areas, and I hope that they can be settled amicably," he said.

The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) politician stated that Indonesia still produces 56 percent of its electricity primarily from coal-fired power plants due to their considerably lowest cost per kilowatt hour (kWh). Understandably constructions of the 35,000-Megawatt coal-fired power plants remain under the Government’s program. The House Commission VII, Siagian asserted, needs to keep an eye on these construction projects and follow their developments closely.

Furthermore, in that occassion, the working visit delegation also expressed their appreciation to the Coal-Fired Power Plant (PLTU) Unit II of PT. Cirebon Electric Power for recruiting 5000 workers, among whom 3500 are local residents of the surrounding areas, which has helped boost the economy of Cirebon’s people. (cas/sf)