BULUNGAN, NORTH KALIMANTAN: In the middle of North Kalimantan’s lush forest, a helicopter touched down on May 30, bearing a special guest as it blew dust into the eyes of nearby security personnel.
Dressed in a green and blue batik shirt, business tycoon and younger brother of incoming president Prabowo Subianto, Mr Hashim Djojohadikusumo, landed in Bulungan regency with big plans.
Visiting the site of the planned Kayan Cascade, Mr Hashim expressed interest in investing in the project that could be Southeast Asia’s largest hydropower station after its planned completion date in 2035.
It aims to have a capacity of 9,000 megawatts by relying on the water of the Kayan river, one of Kalimantan’s biggest rivers.
“This project will not only provide a clean and sustainable energy source but will also encourage local economic growth and provide major benefits to the surrounding community,” Mr Hashim said to reporters on his visit.
“I’ve been interested in investing in renewable, green energy for a while,” he added.
“This clean, green energy project is what the world is after. I hope all parties will support this very strategic project.”
Once completed, the hydropower plant is slated to provide electricity not only to people in North Kalimantan but also to Indonesia’s planned new capital, Nusantara, in eastern Kalimantan, some 430km away.
PT Kayan Hydro Energy, the company behind the project, is looking for investors for the US$17.8 billion initiative, following withdrawals from international partners, China Power and Sumitomo.
Chinese state-owned enterprise China Power’s withdrawal was due to pandemic-related restrictions, while the termination of Japanese trading company Sumimoto’s relationship with PT Kayan Hydro Energy was announced in May.
