Kalimantan needs two or three new power stations with a combined capacity of 1.2 thousand megawatts (MW) to meet the electricity demands of households and industries, a minister noted.

“We need to build at least four new power plants, with a capacity of 300 MW each. Thus, the need for providing electricity to households will be met, and school children will be able to study at home quietly,” National Development Planning Minister Andrinof Chaniago stated here during a teleconference with East Kalimantan Governor Awang Faroek on Monday.

The minister said it was ironical that Kalimantan, which is rich in coal and gas, is not able to fulfill the electricity demands of its households and industries.

Andrinof stated that the central government has assured to reform and simplify licensing procedures, particularly the issuance of a license for the development of power plants.