A Jakarta administration official has denied the controversial reclamation plan off North Jakarta’s coast would disrupt gas and oil pipelines, following a meeting this week between the regional government, lawmakers and officials from the Energy Ministry.
“We have planned where the reclamation would be and it will not be where the pipelines are,” Ridwan Pandjaitan, head of law enforcement at the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD), said on Wednesday.
The long-planned reclamation has been mired in controversy from several quarters, with the city administration saying the plan is vital to control flooding in North Jakarta and others challenging it on environmental and infrastructural grounds.
Evita Legowo, director general of oil and gas at the Energy Ministry, on Tuesday warned House Commission VII, which handles energy and the environment, about the possible impact of reclamation on energy infrastructure.
“We have planned for a floating storage regasification unit for [liquefied natural gas] in the area,” she said. “There are also underwater gas and oil pipelines that connect the Muara Karang power station with Pertamina.”
She said the pipelines are buried two meters below the seabed and were not designed to withstand the external pressure that could be caused by reclamation.
“If this is allowed, there would be damage,” she said.
Ridwan also denied that all 32 kilometers of the North Coast area were included in the reclamation, despite Evita’s claims in her presentation.
“The city has completed the environmental strategic assessment (KLHS) for Jakarta. However, since the project will also affect West Java and Banten, the city administration is waiting for the Environment Ministry to coordinate a joint assessment for the three provinces,” Ridwan said.
Meanwhile, Fabby Tumiwa, executive director at the Institute of Essential Services Reform, demanded a thorough evaluation of the impact of the reclamation project on energy infrastructure.
“The Muara Karang station has a vital role in the electricity supply of the capital. Even small damage could result in power outages in several places,” he told the Jakarta Globe.
Apart from any impact on Pertamina’s underwater pipelines, the project should also consider that the Muara Karang station needs sea water for its electrical operations, he said.
“Muara Karang needs thousands of liters per minute for its cooling system. This is why such power stations are built near a lake or the sea,” he explained.
“When the station was built, designers had to construct a cooling system that would pump sea water into the station’s treatment facility and take hot water out.
“With reclamation, the physical contour of the land changes, a new design has to be made so that the station can perform optimally. But this will take time,” he said.
He could not predict how severe power outages might be.
“There could be many factors — pipelines, cooling units — so there needs to be a study,” he said.
Bambang Satrio, the spokesperson for the power station, said in a text message that he could not yet assess the impact of the reclamation plan on the facility.
“This is a sensitive issue and involves many parties,” he said.
Muhammad Sanusi of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) said the city administration must have better communication with the Environment Ministry to discuss the reclamation project.
“Jakarta needs to plan thoroughly for the project aside from having to fulfill all the necessary requirements,” said Sanusi, who is member of the city council’s Commission D, which oversees development issues.
Milton Pakpahan, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, said the energy sector should be consulted closely on the project to avoid problems.
“The energy sector has stated that [the reclamation project] could generate problems and we should just agree that the power plant is vital for Jakarta,” he said.
“So, let’s just finish by stating to developers that there will be no more development that will disrupt water catchment areas. If not, then, we should move the power plant, which will means interrupting the electricity supply. So, if it’s vital [for the power plant to stay there], then stop right here,” Milton said.
Meanwhile, Achmad Rilyadi, a lawmaker from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said the project should have been suspended until the environmental impact analysis was clear.
“If we go back 10 years ago when the government started reclamation in Pantai Indah Kapuk, the immediate impact was floods everywhere. That was the result of a 15-year-old policy. I can imagine what would happen if this project is carried out. We might have to feel the effect for 30 years,” he said.
The project is also the subject of a contentious battle over a judicial review.
“We have planned where the reclamation would be and it will not be where the pipelines are,” Ridwan Pandjaitan, head of law enforcement at the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD), said on Wednesday.
The long-planned reclamation has been mired in controversy from several quarters, with the city administration saying the plan is vital to control flooding in North Jakarta and others challenging it on environmental and infrastructural grounds.
Evita Legowo, director general of oil and gas at the Energy Ministry, on Tuesday warned House Commission VII, which handles energy and the environment, about the possible impact of reclamation on energy infrastructure.
“We have planned for a floating storage regasification unit for [liquefied natural gas] in the area,” she said. “There are also underwater gas and oil pipelines that connect the Muara Karang power station with Pertamina.”
She said the pipelines are buried two meters below the seabed and were not designed to withstand the external pressure that could be caused by reclamation.
“If this is allowed, there would be damage,” she said.
Ridwan also denied that all 32 kilometers of the North Coast area were included in the reclamation, despite Evita’s claims in her presentation.
“The city has completed the environmental strategic assessment (KLHS) for Jakarta. However, since the project will also affect West Java and Banten, the city administration is waiting for the Environment Ministry to coordinate a joint assessment for the three provinces,” Ridwan said.
Meanwhile, Fabby Tumiwa, executive director at the Institute of Essential Services Reform, demanded a thorough evaluation of the impact of the reclamation project on energy infrastructure.
“The Muara Karang station has a vital role in the electricity supply of the capital. Even small damage could result in power outages in several places,” he told the Jakarta Globe.
Apart from any impact on Pertamina’s underwater pipelines, the project should also consider that the Muara Karang station needs sea water for its electrical operations, he said.
“Muara Karang needs thousands of liters per minute for its cooling system. This is why such power stations are built near a lake or the sea,” he explained.
“When the station was built, designers had to construct a cooling system that would pump sea water into the station’s treatment facility and take hot water out.
“With reclamation, the physical contour of the land changes, a new design has to be made so that the station can perform optimally. But this will take time,” he said.
He could not predict how severe power outages might be.
“There could be many factors — pipelines, cooling units — so there needs to be a study,” he said.
Bambang Satrio, the spokesperson for the power station, said in a text message that he could not yet assess the impact of the reclamation plan on the facility.
“This is a sensitive issue and involves many parties,” he said.
Muhammad Sanusi of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) said the city administration must have better communication with the Environment Ministry to discuss the reclamation project.
“Jakarta needs to plan thoroughly for the project aside from having to fulfill all the necessary requirements,” said Sanusi, who is member of the city council’s Commission D, which oversees development issues.
Milton Pakpahan, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, said the energy sector should be consulted closely on the project to avoid problems.
“The energy sector has stated that [the reclamation project] could generate problems and we should just agree that the power plant is vital for Jakarta,” he said.
“So, let’s just finish by stating to developers that there will be no more development that will disrupt water catchment areas. If not, then, we should move the power plant, which will means interrupting the electricity supply. So, if it’s vital [for the power plant to stay there], then stop right here,” Milton said.
Meanwhile, Achmad Rilyadi, a lawmaker from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said the project should have been suspended until the environmental impact analysis was clear.
“If we go back 10 years ago when the government started reclamation in Pantai Indah Kapuk, the immediate impact was floods everywhere. That was the result of a 15-year-old policy. I can imagine what would happen if this project is carried out. We might have to feel the effect for 30 years,” he said.
The project is also the subject of a contentious battle over a judicial review.
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