West Nusa Tenggara To Use Solar Energy To Generate Electricity -

Mataram, W.Nusa Tenggara (Antara NTB) - State-owned electricity company (PLN) of the West Nusa Tenggara region continues to increase the use of new and renewable sources of energy, one of which is sunlight, to generate electricity.

"Currently, the utilization of new and renewable sources of energy to generate electricity is only five percent of the total installed power capacity of 294 megawatts (MW)," spokesman of PLN for the West Nusa Tenggara region Rachmawan Primadya said here on Thursday.

He remarked that the development of solar power plants also supports the government`s program to generate 23 percent of electricity of the total capacity by 2025 utilizing new and renewable sources of energy.

PLN will purchase electricity from private companies building solar power plants, with a capacity of 20 MW, at four locations in the districts of Central and East Lombok. One solar power plant in each location will have a capacity of 5 MW.

According to Primadya, the construction of the power plant starts in 2017 and will be carried out in stages.

He said the solar power plant is also aimed at supporting the development of the Mandalika Special Economic Zone, as a tourist destination, which is being developed by PT Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) under the concept of ecotourism.

PT ITDC is cooperating with the state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina to establish a joint venture company to build a solar power plant.

ITDC has prepared 40-60 hectares of land for building the solar power plant.

The joint venture will then cooperate with PLN, as the buyer and distributor of electricity, through a purchase scheme.

"If the solar power plant has been built, ITDC should not sell its electricity directly, but it should be done through cooperation with PLN," Primadya noted. (*)