Antam in talks with PTBA for power plant project

By Thomas R. Sembiring

IDX-listed mining firm PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) is in talks with IDX-listed coal mining firm PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) for the latter to build a power plant to supply electricity to the former?s ferronickel plant in North Maluku.

Antam President Director Tedy Badrujaman said on Wednesday that the company needs to cooperate with PTBA, or other firms, as it could not build the power plant on its own due to lack of financing capacity.

Antam is building a ferronickel plant in East Halmahera, North Maluku, the first phase of which, with capacity of 13,000-15,000 tons per year, is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

Meanwhile, Antam Business Development Director Johan Nababan said that PTBA was expected to be able to build at least 150 MW coal-fired power plant in East Halmahera.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak