The Randugunting Dam In Blora Will Soon Be Completed This Month, Minister Of PUPR Basuki: Hopefully It Will Be Inaugurated By President Jokowi

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono revealed that the Randugunting Dam in Blora, Central Java is ready to be inaugurated in early January 2022.

Minister Basuki said Randugunting Dam will be the 14th dam that President Jokowi will inaugurate from 15 dams to be completed in 2021. From 2015 to 2020, 14 dams have also been completed and operated.

"This dam can be completed 10 months earlier than the contract that falls in 2022. Overall the dam has been completed, it's just a matter of tidying up the buildings and landscaping. Hopefully it can be inaugurated by the President in early January 2022," said the Minister of PUPR in a written statement. , quoted from Antara, Monday, January 3.

The physical work on the dam with a capacity of 14.43 cubic meters has been completed, 10 months earlier than the contract schedule that was supposed to end in November 2022.

According to Minister Basuki, the Randugunting Dam has been planned since the 1990s to increase water supply for dry areas in Blora and Rembang Regencies. Construction of the dam itself began in 2018 and was completed in early 2022 without technical problems for construction and social issues in land acquisition.

"We know that Blora and Rembang are vulnerable or water scarce. Later this dam will be able to supply 200 liters/second of raw water and irrigate 670 hectares, as well as being used as tourist attractions," said Minister Basuki.

The construction of the Randugunting Dam is under the responsibility of the Pemali Juana River Basin Center (BBWS), the Directorate General (Ditjen) of Water Resources, Ministry of PUPR with the implementing contractor PT Wijaya Karya - PT Andesmont Sakti (KSO) at the 2018-2022 State Budget with the contract value amounting to Rp. 880 billion.

In addition to providing raw water and irrigation, the Randugunting Dam with an inundation area of 187.19 hectares will also function to reduce flooding by 75 percent or 81 cubic meters/second by reducing the flood-affected area from 4,604 hectares to 2,285 hectares.

Minister Basuki added that the Randuguting Dam also has potential as a source of solar power plants with a solar panel system.

"This dam has the potential for solar energy. So we will try to install floating solar panels on the dam. Currently we have 231 dams, if we add 61 dams which will be completed by 2024, we will have 292 dams. If all of us install floating solar panels, renewable energy will be able to develop (from the dam)," he said.