Governor meets president’s chief of staff over PLTA Kayan project

North Kalimantan Governor Irianto Lambrie met on Wednesday with Moeldoko, Chief of Staff of the President, discussing preparations for the construction of the PLTA Kayan hydro power plant project in the province, in what appears to be part efforts to gain central government support for the project.

News portal bisnis.com reported that Irianto was accompanied among others by Chandra Lee, President Director of PT Kayan Hydro Energy (KHE), which plans to develop the PLTA project at the local Kayan River.

The news portal quoted Irianto as saying that KHE is expected to unveil to the media the PLTA Kayan project.

Irianto said KHE is supported by a group of Chinese firms including Power China Corp, which has extensive experience in the development of hydro power projects in China including the Three Gorges hydro power project.

KHE plans to develop the PLTA Kayan project with initial capacity of 900 MW, and will in the future expand it to up to 9,000 MW.   The company hopes the electricity output could be sold to major smelter and industrial projects to be developed in the province.

But KHE is facing competition from other investors and companies which are also planning similar hydro projects in Kayan River including state-owned aluminum producer PT Inalum which plans to develop own hydro power plant to support the company’s planned aluminum smelter project. (*)