The Jakarta Post reported that up to half of the projects included in the first 10,000 MW power program will be ready by mid 2010, although delays at some of the plants may prevent this.

Mr Darwin Zahedy Saleh energy and mineral resources minister said that "God willing, by mid 2010, almost half of the first 10,000 MW project will be complete."

Mr J Purwono director general of electricity and energy utilization said that plants expected to be operational by mid 2010 include Indramayu (3x330 MW), Paiton (660 MW), Suralaya (625 MW) and the second unit in Rembang (315 MW). He added that "Financing for these plants has been secured and around half of the construction has been finished."

However, Mr Purwono suggested a more flexible completion schedule for the plants. He said that "The plants are expected to be complete sometime between June and December 2010."

The 10,000 MW program was launched by the government in 2006, with state utility firm PT PLN being the executor, anticipating increasing demand for electricity, with growth of more than 7% per year. The project was expected to compensate for a power deficit across Indonesia, resulting largely from an absence of new power plants since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, which crippled the economy and dampened investor confidence in Indonesia.

The program includes the development of more than 30 existing and planned power plants, ten of which are in Java. While the government may expect to complete half of the program by mid 2010, it has already fallen short of its 2009 target.

Earlier, three of the power plants in the program, the first unit of the Labuan Power Plant (2x315 MW), the first unit of the Rembang Power Plant (315 MW) and the first unit of the Indramayu Power Plant (330 MW), were expected to be opened this month.

(Sourced from www.thejakartapost.com)