Asahimas, PLN's largest buyer
Friday, June 22 2001 - 04:06 AM WIB
The increase in power purchase was put in a power purchase contract signed by PLN operational director Tunggono and Asahimas Chemical president Anton Kusteja.
Tunggono explained that Asahimas' power purchase currently totaled 124,000 kVA, and Asahimas would increase its purchase to 152,000, that PLN would realize within the next nine months.
Tunggono said PLN would supply more power through voltage regulator No. II that currently supplies around 60,000 kVA to Asahimas. In the first stage, on Oct. 1, 2001, PLN would increase power supply through voltage regulator II to 65,000 kVA, and increase it further to 88,000 kVA on March 4, 2002, making a total power supply to Asahimas 152,000 kVA.
PLN charges Rp 2.5 billion to Asahimas to increase the power supply from 124,000 to 152,000 kVA.
Tunggono explained that currently, at power supply of 124,000 kVA, Asahimas paid PLN around Rp 25 billion per month. "When the power supply is increased to 152,000, they will pay more surely."
Meanwhile, Anton Kusteja said that the company demanded more power supply from PLN because it would increase the production of its caustic soda and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The company has invested $38 million to increase its products output.
The company's output of caustic soda would be raised from 285,00 tons per annum to 365,000 per annum, of which 95 percent would be sold in the domestic market. Meanwhile, the PVC output would be boasted from to 280,000 tons per annum, of which 75 percent is exported to overseas markets.
Anton explained that it continued to use power supply from PLN because the latter offered attractive packages for big industrial customers, including discounts for electricity usage on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. (*)