UAE’s EGA eyes clean energy in Indonesia

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is exploring clean energy options in Indonesia, the Indonesian government said on Sunday after the company denied any plans to build a nuclear power plant in the country.

On Saturday, Indonesia’s Ministry of Economic Affairs revised an earlier statement that had incorrectly mentioned EGA’s intention to develop a nuclear plant to address a power shortage at an aluminium smelter in North Sumatra.

In an email on Thursday, an EGA spokesperson reaffirmed that the company is not involved in nuclear energy but remains committed to its interests in Indonesia.

EGA had previously agreed in 2022 to expand production capacity at the state-owned Indonesia Asahan Aluminium smelter by up to 400,000 tons per year.

Senior Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto met with EGA CEO Abdulnasser Ibrahim Saif Bin Kalban in Dubai on Wednesday to discuss the growth of Indonesia’s aluminium industry. During his visit to Dubai for the World Government Summit, Airlangga also met with Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of UAE state-owned renewable energy company Masdar.

Their discussions focused on key initiatives in Indonesia, including a 145-megawatt floating solar power plant on a reservoir in West Java and the construction of a gas pipeline connecting Aceh to East Java.

Attribution: Reuters

Subediting: Y.Yasser