HOUSE ASKS GOVT TO SPEED UP LNG TERMINALS CONSTRUCTION

Jakarta, April 9 (ANTARA) - The House Commission VII on energy affairs has asked the government to accelerate the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in West Java and North Sumatra.

House Commission VII chairman Teuku Riefky Harsya said here on Friday the construction of the LNG terminals was an urgent need to overcome deficits in gas supply to power generating plants in the two provinces.

"The government should be serious about the building of the West Java and North Sumatra LNG terminals so that they can be completed on schedule in September 2011. If need be, it should be accelerated and be completed early in 2011," Harsya said.

He said the two terminals would enable the reduction of the subsidy budget by trillions of rupiahs per annum.

This was because a number of power plants in the two provinces were still using fuel oils that were more expensive than gas.

Director General of Gas and Oil Evita Legowo promised that the two terminals' construction would be finished on schedule.

"The government will seriously supervise the construction of the terminals so that they can be finished as scheduled," she said.