Emerensianana Wawo's Voice: Mataloko's Geothermal Development Doesn't Just Bring Negative Effects

Emerensiana Wawo, a resident of Ulubelu Village, Golewa District, Ngada Regency who supports geothermal projects (Doc. PLN)

MATALOKO - The construction of the Mataloko Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara apparently not only about the negative impacts that are boisterous on social media.

It was Emerensiana Wawo, a resident of Ulubelu Village, Golewa District who actively voiced his support for the construction of the green power plant in the geothermal paradise. Not without reason, Emerensiana said that she had felt many positive things since the construction project began.

He admitted that before this project was initiated by PT PLN (Persero), the village where he lived since birth was an area that was considered remote and far from the country's roads. In fact, the village road has not even been covered with asphalt as it is today.

"With the presence of this geothermal project, the government has begun to open its eyes, open road access, block, build facilities that are for the benefit of the community," he said when VOI had the opportunity to visit the geothermal project in Mataloko.

Since the construction began, he admitted that the road between villages has been well connected due to infrastructure development towards wellpad or the location of geothermal drilling. In fact, now he can travel to his garden by vehicle thanks to the road opening.

Emerensiana also said that this development also had an impact on the community's economy. He gave an example, the majority of these projects absorb the power of the community and youth in the surrounding villages. Not only that, garden products such as vegetables to the livestock products of residents were also sold due to project activities.

"So the results of local residents such as vegetables, such as chickens, are sold. Therefore, the presence of many workers there needs food. So the people benefit from their vegetables, the lombok. That's what becomes income increases," he said.

He said, before this project started, the community was only able to generate Rp50,000 per day, but then the community's income was boosted since construction began

He added that PLN is also active in conducting free checks for the community. For this reason, he also dismissed assumptions and accusations that geothermal projects brought disease to the community. In fact, he firmly stated that the surrounding community received this geothermal project, unlike the one that was crowded in the media.

"The people here receive 100. If yesterday's rumors, those who stated that people here refused, that was a lie. For us villagers, I was the first to say that in the DPR RI that Ulubelu was 100 percent ready," he said.

In fact, this 60-year-old woman hopes that the geothermal project in Ngada can run soon so that the benefits can be felt in real terms by the surrounding community.

Increase The Community Economy Really

Emerensiana said that this geothermal development actually had a positive effect. Since land acquisition around the location of the manifestation to the location of the project, according to him, the surrounding community has received a large amount of acquisition costs. With the money obtained, residents can then send their children to a higher level, even though previously they were only able to send them to the junior high school level. In fact, residents who receive compensation costs can build a wall house.

In fact, he said, the land taken over by PLN was not a potential land because its location was adjacent to a ravine and usually only overgrown with weeds

"If I want to see in Ulubelu Village, the land used by PLN is a land that is not too fertile. But when PT PLN takes it, the weeds cost billions of rupiah. It's amazing," said Emerensiana passionately.

For this reason, he hopes that this project will run soon in order to remove the assumption that geothermal development only has a negative impact.

"We hope that the Gotermal will soon be realized so that it can progress like other regions," continued Emerensiana.

Emerensiana also said that she was actively digging up information related to this project so as not to be consumed by hoax issues. According to him, this geothermal project needs to be supported in order to advance people's lives around it to be more prosperous. Moreover, the electricity generated from the Mataloko PLTP will later benefit the people of Flores in general.

"So that soon it produces something, it can be enjoyed by all of Flores. We are proud that selling something can produce it for many people. We as natives here, we feel that we also contribute to other people. We feel proud," said Emerensiana.

Operating In 2031

PT PLN (Persero) through PLN UIP Nusa Tenggara targets PLTP Mataloko to operate commercially or Commercial Operation Date (COD) in 2027.

PLN UIP Southeast Nusa Tenggara's Manager of Licensing and Communication, Bobby Robson Sitorus in Bajawa said, PLN has completed a number of processes such as the land acquisition process and has completed all licensing processes.

"For infrastructure construction, around 89 percent has been achieved. So that's why it is estimated that by the end of the year we will have 100 percent, then preparations for drilling," he said.

Thin Electricity Reserves

Bobby emphasized that PLN is trying to accelerate the construction of the Mataloko Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) with a capacity of 2x10 Megawatts (MW).

Not without reason, currently the total electricity available on Flores Island is only 104.2 Mega Watt (MW), while the peak load reaches 96-97 MW.

"This means that the remaining electricity reserves are minimal, only 7-8 MW," said Bobby.

He added that currently the peak load of Ngada district is recorded at 5 MW and still depends on electricity supply from other districts, such as West Manggarai and Ende, to meet their electricity needs while the electricity supply in Ngada Regency itself is only 0.1 MW sourced from PLTMH Ogi.

As for the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) of PLN 2025-2034, the Flores System will receive an additional 130 MW of electricity from the existing PLTP-PLTP.

"Geothermal is 130 more. 130 Megaan. So it is targeted that the most in Flores is geothermal," said Bobby.