The Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Indonesia is intensifying its efforts to monitor steam power plants (PLTUs) across the Greater Jakarta area, focusing on their compliance with environmental regulations and their potential contribution to the region’s worsening air quality. This has been an ongoing problem in the Jakarta region.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Rasio Ridho Sani, the ministry’s Director General of Law Enforcement, emphasized that the ministry is closely overseeing PLTUs to ensure they adhere to the necessary environmental standards.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the ministry, which also includes monitoring metal smelters, coal stockpiles, and other facilities that may contribute to pollution.
The goal is to prevent further degradation of air quality in Jakarta and surrounding areas, which are already experiencing dangerously high air pollution levels.
Sigit Reliantoro, Director General of Pollution and Environmental Damage Control, highlighted that all PLTUs generating over 25 megawatts are required to install emission monitoring systems and regularly report their emissions data to the ministry.
Any plants found to be exceeding the government’s emission thresholds will receive formal warnings and face possible penalties.
Jakarta’s air pollution issue gained significant attention recently when Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan announced the potential closure of the PLTU Suralaya in Cilegon, Banten.
The closure is seen as a crucial step in reducing Jakarta’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which currently hovers between 170 and 200, a level that poses severe health risks.
Minister Pandjaitan expressed optimism that closing the PLTU Suralaya could bring the AQI down to safer levels, potentially below 100, and significantly improve the air quality in the region.
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry remains committed to enforcing environmental regulations and ensuring that all measures contribute to improving air quality across the Greater Jakarta area.
