REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUTA -- The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (KESDM) continues to encourage natural gas as the fuel to generate electricity in the future.

At a national gas stakeholders' seminar held in Kuta, Bali, on Monday, Director General of Oil and Gas of KESDM Wiratmadja Puja stated that Indonesia's huge gas potential must be able to fulfill its electricity needs.

"Around 14 percent of Indonesian people have no access to electricity. The about 40 million figure is small as compared to the country's population reaching 250 million. That is a lot," he pointed out.

Based on his opinion, if the government could focus on natural gas as a resource to generate electricity, it would support the realization of the 35 thousand megawatts (MW) power plants' project.