Mpanau coal-fired power plant may start operation in May

The construction of the new coal-fired 2x15 megawatt capacity Mpanau power plant will be completed and hopefully start operation in May 2006, the Bisnis Indonesia newspaper reported in its Monday edition

The plant will be built at Mpanau, north of Palu city in Central Sulawesi province.

Palu deputy mayor Suardin Suebo said the investing company PT Pusaka Jaya Palu Power (PJPP) is pushing ahead the project. And the company is optimistic that it will complete the building of plant as per the deadline.

?We are optimistic that the building of the coal-fired power plant will be completed and operated as per the deadline given to us,? Suardin said over the weekend in Palu.

He mentioned that the 85 percent of the plant?s construction process was completed. That?s why, if the construction work goes ahead smoothly, the plant, most probably by May 2006, will enter into the phase of trial operations.

?At the most, our target is May when it will start supplying electricity to people and industries,? Antara reported citing Suardi as saying. (*)