Jakarta – The government has decided not to proceed with plans to develop a geothermal project in the Mount Lawu area of Central Java. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) on Tuesday, October 14, this decision was made after an in-depth evaluation of the potential social risks and consideration of the local wisdom of the communities around the area.
“After considering social issues and cultural factors, we have officially removed the location from the project list,” said Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
According to her, this decision reaffirms the government’s commitment to ensuring that every renewable energy project not only meets technical and economic requirements but also respects the cultural values and social conditions of the local community.
Aligning energy policy with social values
Eniya said that the exploration site around Mount Lawu is considered sacred by the local community. The government believes that continuing the project in the area could potentially cause significant social resistance and impact its effectiveness.
“We have excluded all areas that have sacred elements associated with the word ‘Lawu’ from the geothermal working area. The government will not force projects in locations that have strong cultural and spiritual values,” she said.
Thus, the government ensures that there will be no more geothermal exploration activities around Mount Lawu, either through assignments or auctions of geothermal working areas (WKP).
Although the Lawu project was cancelled, the government is continuing its geothermal development program in several other areas. This year, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has prepared three Geothermal Working Areas (WKP) and seven Preliminary Survey and Exploration Assignment (PSPE) locations for auction.
In total, these projects have a potential capacity of 350 megawatts (MW) with an investment value of around USD 1.99 billion and will create jobs for more than 1,500 people.
Some of the areas to be auctioned include Telaga Ranau – North Maluku (40 MW), Songgoriti – East Java (40 MW), and Lake Ranau Lampung – South Sumatra (40 MW).
Meanwhile, for survey assignments, a number of potential locations include Bandar Barusepa (Maluku), Mount Tampomas (West Java), Cubudak-Panti (West Sumatra), and Kadida (Central Sulawesi). (Hartatik)
Banner photo: Image generated by OpenAI’s DALL·E via ChatGPT (2025)
