Coal consumption by power plants to increase 2.2 million tons

This year?s coal consumption by coal-fired power plants is expected to increase 2.2 million tons in parallel with the increasing demand for coal by several new large-scale coal-fired plants that have started production, Bisnis Indonesia reported Thursday.

The Indonesian Coal Society (ICS) said in Jakarta Wednesday that coal consumption for fuel by coal-fired power plants was estimated to reach around 35 million tons this year or an increase of 22 million tons, compared to 32.8 million tons consumed by the power plants last year.

The new coal-fired power plants that started full operation and production include Cilacap power plant with a capacity of 2x300 MW and Tanjung Jati B with a capacity of 2x660 MW. The power supply is transmitted to the Java-Bali interconnection system.

ICS?s director Singgih Widagdo predicted that the coal consumption by coal-fired power plants for 2008 would not see significant increase, only an increase of 2 million tons or a 200,000 tons drop because state electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) would not provide new additional coal-fired power plants throughout 2007 and 2008.

?The significant increase of coal consumption by coal-fired power plants will not be seen until 2009 and 2010 when coal-fired power plants built under government?s crash program designed to provide additional power supply of 10,000 start operation,? he said.

The coal consumption by coal-fired power plants is estimated to reach 55 million tons or a 30 million increase when combined with the existing coal consumption rate in the next two or three years, according to Singgih.

He said that coal consumption by industry and cement plants was also predicted to increase, with the two sectors expected to consume 10 million tons or a 500,000 tons rise, compared to 9.5 million tons of coal consumed by the two sectors last year. (*)