Antam, PTBA to develop power plant in N. Maluku

By Cepi Setiadi

IDX-listed mining firm PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) Tbk said it will develop a coal-fired power plant with capacity of 2x80 MW to support the company?s planned ferronickel plant (FeNi Haltim) in East Halmahera, North Maluku province.

Dimas Wikan Pramudhito, Chief Financial Officer told journalists recently, that the company had signed an MoU with IDX-listed coal giant PT Bukit Asam Tbk to cooperate in the power plant project.

"Currently we are entering land clearing stage for the ferronickel plant project as well as for the power plant," Dimas said. Meanwhile, regarding the business scheme of the power plant, according to Dimas, it is still being discussed with PTBA.

"The power plant will be an IPP (independent power producer) for captive power," he said. The FeNi Haltim project is expected to produce around 27,000 tons nickel (TNi) per annum. The project is estimated to have a total investment of Rp 3.5 trillion and is projected to be completed in 2018.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak