PJB to develop $2b coal-fired power plant

PT Pembangkit Jawa Bali (PJB), a subsidiary of state-owned electricity firm PT PLN, plans to start construction of a 2x1,000 MW coal-fired power plant in Serang, Banten, in 2016, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Wednesday.

The paper quoted Director of Human Resources and Administration at PJB Trilaksito as saying that the company was still in the process of acquiring the necessary permits for the power plant project, dubbed as Jawa 7, to be developed on a 172 hectares plot of land.

He was hopeful, however, that construction can start early next year, and to be completed in 2019. He added that coal for the power plant, which will need about 8,000 tons per day, will come from mines in Sumatra.

Trilaksito said that total investment for the project, which is part of the government?s target to build 37,000 MW power plants until 2019, is estimated at around US$2 billion. (*)