US banks interested in RI`s 10,000 MW power project

Antara News, Friday, June 18, 2010 21:00 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) -The Export-Import Bank of the United States expressed interest in financing Indonesia`s second 10,000 MegaWatt power project half of which is to run on geothermal energy, a spokesman said.

"We support the prospective cooperation with Indonesia to develop renewable energy," said US Export-Import Bank, Fred P. Hochberg, in Jakarta on Friday.

According to him, he was in talks with state-owned power utility firm PT PLN about its second 10,000 MW power project.

The project is divided into two, namely for the construction of 5000 MW of geothermal power plants and the balance of conventional power plants.

U.S. Ex-Im Bank currently has given initial approval for financing imports of various products from the U.S. by Indonesian companies worth one billion U.S. dollars.

He hoped the facility will promote U.S. exports to Indonesia up to two-fold. During 2009, Ex-Im Bank has authorized US$ 279.5 million to U.S. exports to Indonesia, including to finance the purchase of Sikorsky helicopters for PT Travira Water.

"We have to give credit totaling 1.8 billion U.S. dollars for the purchase of Boeing aircraft by Garuda and Lion Air," he said.

Throughout the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the U.S. Ex-Im Bank has provided loans worth nearly one billion U.S. dollars to purchase 30 Boeing 737-900ER to Lion Air.