MEMR sees flat coal output in 2014

By Cepi Setiadi

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) projected the country?s coal production in 2014 to be about the same as the targeted output for 2013.

Edi Prasodjo, Director of Coal Business Development at MEMR, told Petromindo.com that the government is trying to control the coal production so as not to exceed the current production rate.

"In 2014 we expect that the national production will not ramp up. At least it will be the same with the 2013 production," Edi said, adding that coal production for 2013 has been targeted to reach 393 million tons.

He said that the government is trying to control the production by seeing the long term demand. The move to control production comes amid the lingering weak global coal prices. Indonesia is the world?s largest exporter of thermal coal.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak