The construction of a hydroelectric power plant in Sumatra is risking the livelihoods of local communities, increasing the risk of disasters and threatening the habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan, the world’s rarest great ape. Suspicions persist around the 2019 death of an activist who had filed a lawsuit against the project.

The Batang Toru hydropower plant is being built in the Batang Toru forest area of South Tapanuli regency in North Sumatra province. It has a total investment of over 21 trillion Indonesian rupiahs (USD 1.6 billion) and was initially planned as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The preconstruction phase began on 21 December 2015 following the signing of a power purchase agreement between PT North Sumatera Hydro Energy (NSHE) and the State Electricity Company (PLN). Ground-breaking for the plant took place on 4 May this year.

The plant is being built by NSHE in collaboration with Sinohydro, a Chinese engineering and construction company.

The project was originally funded by Bank of China, but it announced a review after receiving a number of objections from environmentalists. Doni Latuparisa, executive director of environmental group WALHI (Friends of the Earth) North Sumatra, said: “In 2019 the Bank of China stopped funding this project.” Neither he nor other local environmentalists knew who is now funding the project. Construction is continuing.

The entire global population of Tapanuli orangutans – the rarest orangutan species on Earth – is restricted to this small area of Sumatra. The population is now estimated at fewer than 800 individuals. “If this project continues, these animals will be increasingly threatened with extinction,” Latuparisa said. The Tapanuli orangutan was confirmed to be a distinct species only in 2017. Now, the Batang Toru hydropower project threatens to take away its habitat.

The plant has a planned capacity of 510 MW and is located on the Batang Toru River. The area likely to be affected includes three sub-districts in the South Tapanuli regency: Sipirok, Marancar and Batang Toru. They encompass 17 villages.

Read the full article about hydroelectrical dams and environmental irresponsibility by Tonggo Simangunsong at Eco-Business.