- Title: INDONESIA-PRESIDENT Indonesia's President launches mega power plant
- Date: 28th August 2015
- Summary: BATANG, CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA (AUGUST 28, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** INDONESIA PRESIDENT JOKO WIDODO WALKING PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURE WIDODO TALKING TO ENERGY MINISTER, SUDIRMAN SAID, (GREEN BATIK SHIRT) AND HEAD OF STATE POWER FIRM PERUSAHAAN LISTRIK NEGARA, SOFYAN BASIR (RED BATIK SHIRT) WIDODO WALKING TO VENUE FOREGROUND BREAKING CEREMONY WIDODO WALKING TO THE STAGE PEOPLE SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIA PRESIDENT, JOKO WIDODO SAYING: "Today after a four month delay, thank God we can resolve it. If there's only 1.9 percent that is still problematic, that is 1.9 percent. Just now the governor whispered to me, "I'll resolve this, Mister President. Give me one month," SCREEN SHOWING THE POWER PLANT PROJECT (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIA PRESIDENT, JOKO WIDODO SAYING: "I don't want any more projects to stop, that have to be delayed, that cannot be completed because of a license or land clearance issues. This is proof that the government can resolve the problems. Let there be no more doubt in the part of investors." WIDODO SPEAKING VARIOUS WIDODO AND MINISTERS THUMPED BUTTON TO START PROJECT CAMERAMEN FILMING WIDODO WALKING OFF STAGE VARIOUS OF WIDODO LOOKING AT WORK BEGINNING ON SITE MEDIA STANDING VARIOUS OF MACHINES WORKING ON SITE VARIOUS WIDODO AND MINISTERS WATCHING VARIOUS BULLDOZER ON SITE WIDODO LEAVING THE SITE
- Embargoed: 12th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Indonesia
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABYKGQJS5J9MPYHUS1S5YIL9WL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Indonesia President Joko Widodo declared with great fanfare on Friday (August 28) that construction of a mega power plant is now set to start after years of delay, proof he said that the government was starting to resolve its infrastructure failings.
A group of students led a hearty rendition of the national anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony in central Java, and after his speech President Joko Widodo thumped a button that set a siren wailing to mark the beginning of the project.
However, obstacles still stand in the way of Southeast Asia's largest coal-fired power plant, with dozens of landowners refusing to give up their paddy fields. Indeed, no ground was actually broken at the ceremony and officials watched bulldozers rumbling through a barren field.
"Today, after a four month delay, thank God we can resolve it. If there's only 1.9 percent that is still problematic, that is 1.9 percent. Just now the governor whispered to me, "I'll resolve this, Mister President. Give me one month," Widodo said during his speech.
Widodo has stepped up efforts recently to convince investors that the region's largest economy is on a rebound after notching up its weakest growth for six years in the second quarter.
"I don't want any more projects to stop, that have to be delayed, that cannot be completed because of a license or land clearance issues. This is proof that the government can resolve the problems. Let there be no more doubt in the part of investors," he added.
PT Bhimasena Power Indonesia, a joint venture set up by Indonesian coal miner PT Adaro Energy Tbk and Japan's Itochu Corporation and Electric Power Development Co. Ltd. (J-Power), will operate and build the 2,000 megawatt plant.
News of the groundbreaking helped send Adaro shares up as much as 10 percent on Friday, far outpacing a 1 percent rise in the broader market.
However, when exactly construction will begin remains unclear as the government has not convinced all landowners to sell up.
Widodo said he was aware of the holdouts but had been told by the local governor that they would be won over in a month.
The $4 billion plant is among a handful of new infrastructure projects that the administration hopes to finally get off the ground within the next few months.
The president is expected to announce as early as Monday (August 31) whether Japan or China will win a hotly contested contract to build Indonesia's first high-speed railway. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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