Sunter ITF Project Runs Aground, Heru Budi Prefers To Continue 2 RDF Developments

JAKARTA - Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono ensured that the construction of the Sunter Intermediate Treatment Facility (ITF) was canceled even though it was planned several years ago.

However, Heru realizes that the DKI Provincial Government must have other programs to reduce piles of garbage in Jakarta by processing them into energy.

Therefore, Heru plans to develop the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) project. The first RDF has been operating in Bantargebang. Furthermore, the DKI Provincial Government plans to rebuild 2 RDFs in Rorotan in North Jakarta and Pegadungan in West Jakarta.

"We hope to use the RDF concept. Two RDFs will be in Rorotan and Pegadungan. The construction will be in 2024 together with PLN," said Heru when met at TPST Bantargebang, Bekasi, West Java, Tuesday, June 27.

Heru explained the reason for the cancellation of the Sunter ITF project which was groundbreaking by the Governor of DKI Jakarta last period, before finally stagnant. Heru felt that the Sunter ITF project was too burdensome for the APBD.

Heru explained that the investment value for the Sunter ITF development reached IDR 5.2 trillion. This project clearly requires investors from the private sector for funding.

What is burdensome is that when the Sunter ITF operates, the DKI Provincial Government must pay the cost of waste management or tipping fees to investors of around Rp. 500 thousand per tonne of waste processing within a period of 20 to 30 years.

The calculation is that if an agreement with investors is made, the DKI Provincial Government must pay a total corruption fee of IDR 36.5 trillion. That too with a record that this value does not increase as long as the contract runs.

"The DKI Regional Government does not want to. The concept (ITF Sunter) is good. But, once again, the DKI Regional Government is unable to pay the tipping fee," explained Heru.

In the RDF Plant, which is already operating, this processed waste into coal equivalent fuel is sold by PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Tbk, and PT Solusi Bangun Indonesia (SBI) Tbk at a price of 24 US Dollars per ton or equivalent to Rp359 thousand in the current exchange rate.

Every day, the RDF Plant Bantargebang processes 2,000 tons of waste consisting of 1,000 tons of old waste in Bantargebang and 1,000 tons of garbage that has just been sent from Jakarta and produces 700 tons of fuel.

Heru admitted that the waste processing quantity of the RDF Plant bantargebang still does not meet the offtaker needs, such as PT Indocement which requires 2,500 tons of fuel every day.

However, Heru views that at least this collaboration has become a solution to the waste problem at the Bantargebang TPST which has accumulated with waste production from Jakarta which has reached 7,500 tons.

"This is a solution, because every day, as much as 10-7,500 tons of waste per day from the DKI Jakarta area is transported to the Bantargebang TPST so that the Bantargebang TPST almost reaches its maximum capacity," he added.