PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono: Dam Construction Is A Real Action To Overcome Climate Change Threats

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono said the construction of dams and reservoirs was a real action to overcome the threat of climate change.

"To deal with the threat of climate change, the Indonesian government must increase water storage (reservoir), both reservoirs and dams. We prioritize dams so that during the dry season there is still a large enough water reserves," Basuki said in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Sunday, November 26.

The construction of dams and reservoirs in various parts of Indonesia is in order to provide water storage infrastructure.

According to Basuki, the number of dams in Indonesia is still far from other countries such as South Korea and China.

"We as large archipelagic countries must also think big (minky big) to continue to increase the number of water reservoirs. The Chinese government until the end of 2022 is recorded to have at least 98,000 dams, then South Korea has around 18,000 dams, while we are close to around 300 dams," he said.

In addition, Basuki also stated the importance of paying attention to and modifying dam designs so that they can function optimally in water utilization, both in the dry season and in the rain.

"No less important is to update the design of the dam, where all dams must have a floodgate so that they can be operated optimally in the rainy and dry seasons," he said.

The Ministry of PUPR continues to prioritize environmentally friendly and sustainable development by utilizing all the potential that exists in various infrastructures.

"For example, floating solar power plants (floating solar energy) utilize 20 percent of the surface area of dam puddles. There is a potential for electric power of 4,800 Megawatts (MW) from floating solar energy, from all existing dams," said Basuki.

In addition, the Ministry of PUPR has also used 23 existing dams built by the Ministry of PUPR as a hydroelectric power plant.

"The power capacity produced by new hydroelectric plants is around 9 percent of all types of power plants in Indonesia produced," said Basuki.