Govt to resume construction of Musi power plant
Thursday, March 9 2000 - 02:15 AM WIB
The construction of the Musi power plant in South Sumatra will be resumed after being delayed for two years as part of the government's retrenchment program introduced in early 1998 to cope with the country's worst ever crisis.
Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, the president of the state electricity company PLN, said in Jakarta on Wednesday that the government needed about US$40 million in fresh funds to continue the project, which was already 90 percent completed when it was delayed.
The construction of the combined cycle 210-Megawatt power plant began in 1997 and was one of large-scale projects delayed in early 1998 as part of the government's retrenchment program to minimize the impact of the economic crisis.
Separately, PLN's director for operation Tungono said that the construction of the delayed power plant should be resumed as quick as possible to cope with the power shortage in the province.
"With the additional 210 MW electricity supply from the new plant, we hope the power shortage in the province could be resolved," he added. (*)