By Godang Sitompul
Geothermal developer PT Supreme Energy said it has yet to start exploration activities at the Rajabasa geothermal working area in Lampung Province as the company and its partners are still waiting for state-owned electricity firm PT PLN to approve their request for an extension of the power purchase agreement (PPA) of the proposed power plant project.
?We?re still waiting for an extension of the PPA from PLN, so we have yet to start exploration drilling at Rajabasa,? Supreme Energy Commissioner Supramu Santosa told Petromindo.com.
A consortium comprising of Supreme, Engie and Sumitomo plans to develop a 110 MW geothermal power plant at the Rajabasa geothermal area.
The company signed the PPA for the proposed project with PLN in 2012, but development of the project had been hampered by lengthy process to obtain the required forestry permit from the Ministry of Forestry and protest from local villagers.
Supreme said in April that the two problems have been cleared, and the consortium was ready to start exploration drilling program at the Rajabasa area pending the extension of the contract with PLN which expired in April.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
