East Timor To Build Power Station

East Timor plans to build a massive $390 million power station, which would be the largest project built in the country, where power blackouts are frequent and many areas lack access to the electricity grid.

But critics have objected to the plant, both because of its use of imported heavy oil, a technology mostly considered outdated in the West due to its polluting by-products, such as sulphur, and because it is to be partially funded by dipping into the country’s protected oil and gas funds. This month, the opposition Fretilin Party refused to sign off on the budget because it included funding for the plant.

“We put forward a vote in parliament to eliminate funding for a heavy oil power station in favour of the government exploring renewable energy initiatives,” said Jose Teixeira, an opposition spokesman and former state secretary for natural resources.