Inalum hopes construction of power plant to start this year

By Thomas Sembiring

State-owned aluminum producer PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) said that the feasibility study for a planned 2x350 MW coal-fired power plant in North Sumatra has been completed, hoping that construction process can be started in the fourth quarter of this year.

?We expect groundbreaking to be held (this year),? said Inalum President Director Winardi to Petromindo.com on Thursday.

Inalum requires additional electricity supply as the company plans to double production capacity to 500,000 tons per year in 2020.

The North Sumatra-based company is teaming up with IDX-listed coal giant PT Bukit Asam Tbk in the Rp 20 trillion power plant project, whose completion is projected in 2019.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak