PROGRESS OF ULUMBU GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICIY:LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO PROMPT

Progress of Ulumbu geothermal electricitu: local government has to prompt.

Questioning the role of local government is the most logical query looking to the progress of Ulumbu project that is predicted capable to fulfill the need of electricity for flores island, even for the entire NTT province. 

What lays enigmatic then is that the significance of  the project  is so subtle that since 2003 up to now, Ulumbu is merely limited to serve Ruteng city electrical supply. Since the start up of ulumbu project,  the two changing of local regents, Antony Bagul for one period and Christian Rotok for two periods  haven't made significance toward the progress of the project. Worsely, the project its self was ever stagnant in 2005 and continued in 2006.

Ulumbu geothermal field is located at the southern part of Poco Leok’s flank at 650 meters above sea level, nearly 13km from the newly formed volcano of Anak Ranaka. The field also presents hot springs, fumaroles, mud pots, and steaming ground. From Ruteng to Golo Lusang direction toward Pong Geok branch for about 22,7km where we should go through the narrow and curvy roads and sometimes so awful and have to extra coscious of certain points with signs of landslide. Continue to drive around 4,3km from Pong Geok branch toward Wewo village which will end to the power plant area.

Geothermal electrical construction started in 2003. After continuation of project from 2006 up to now, ulumbu is assessed to produce 2,5 MW and 1 KW supplied by three wells which has different depth of 895, 945 and 1800 meters and sufficient to serve the need of entire flores island and even NTT.
Under a contract with PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Geothermal Development Associates (GDA) agreed to design, manufacture, test, and ship two geothermal steam turbine generator sets and related power plant auxiliary components from Reno, Nevada, USA to Surabaya, Indonesia.

According to PLN head ruteng branch, the real prodction of power of supply is still far from initial assessment. Recently, ulumbu is only capable to supply 1.4 mw. The main target of PLN is to distribute the power to ruteng and  connected to labuan bajo. PLN is on going construction of electric network to labuan bajo.

Local government has to prompt the progress of the project. They are responsible to ensure the legal law to optimize, fasten and prepare necessary facility and infrastructure including the investor of the project.

The slow motion of the project almost more than decade is the fundamental to blame government as the black sheep.  

Taking into consideration of economy prospect, ulumbu can be source of income toward local regency of manggarai for  its capacity to supply electrical power for the entire land. It's ironical by sense that this extinct source of income precisely is not well optimized by the local government.

The discourse to use ulumbu electricy connectiong to labuan bajo is such a big oppurtunity for the local government of manggarai. In the midst of increasing needs of power supply incoherent to the rapid development of labuan bajo as main tourism destination, manggarai should consider it as the big oppurtunity.