Regarding Pertamina's Proposal To Replace Pertalite With Pertamax, Minister Of Energy And Mineral Resources: Where Does The Cost Come From?

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif opened his voice about Pertamina's proposal and study regarding the elimination of Pertalite type fuel oil (BBM) and replacing it with Pertamax which has the value of octan 92.

Arifin said this would not happen because the government did not have the money to provide subsidies for Pertamax.

As is known, Pertalite is a special type of fuel assignment (JBKP) which is subsidized by the government.

"Who is the charge (from)? Where did you come from?" Arifin told the media when met at the DPR RI Building, Thursday, August 31.

However, he considered, Pertamina's proposal was a good proposal and in line with the steps taken by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources which encouraged the use of environmentally friendly fuel.

According to him, the higher the octane value contained in fuel products, the better because it lowers levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx).

"But the point is still being studied. The source itself from the emittance producer must indeed be the main target," continued Arifin.

Just so you know, the proposal to abolish Pertalite and replace it with Pertamax was originally disclosed by the President Director of PT Pertamina (Persero) Nicke Widyawati.

He proposed to resume the Blue Sky II program which replaced Pertalite with Pertamax Green 92.

Pertamax Green 92 is a mixture of Pertalite type fuel with an octane value of 90 with 7 percent ethanol and Pertamax Green 95 which is a mixture of Pertamax with 8 percent ethanol.

"So next year there will be only 3 products, first Pertamax Green 92 with mixed RON 90 with 7 percent ethanol or E7, secondly Pertamax Green 95 mix Pertamax with 8 percent ethanol and the third is Pertamax Turbo," Nicke said in a Hearing Meeting with Commission VII DPR RI, Wednesday, August 30.