Coal supply from PTBA to Suralaya gradually returns to normal

Coal supply from PT. Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) to 3,400-MW Suralaya coal-fired power plant had gradually returned to normal in June after PTBA managed to increase coal volume to the power plant.

?Coal transportation volume to Suralaya in June had reached 20,000 tons per day, compared to 13,000 tons per day in January,? PTBA corporate secretary Milawarma said. He said the increase in volume was due to improvement in railway track that is used to transport the company?s coal.

Meanwhile, Indonesia Power?s president Abimanyu said that in June, PTBA is expected to ship 500,000 tons to Suralaya. Indonesia Power is a subsidiary of state electricity firm PLN that runs Suralaya Power plant.

Abimanyu said that currently coal stockpile at Suralaya is around 250,000 tons, or roughly adequate for 9 days of operations. Ideal stockpile level should be at around 14 days of production. He added that currently Suralaya had stopped using fuel oil.

Suralaya power plants, which is the backbone of Java electricity grids, had experienced severe shortage of coal supply after state railway company, which is contracted to transport coal from PTBA?s mine in Muara Enim to Tarahan coal port in Lampung, was unable to transport the contracted volume due to problems in railway tracks.

PTBA supplies around 70 percent of Suralaya power plant coal requirement of 9-10 million tons per annum. (godang)