PLN claims have enough power for smelters

By Tri Subhki R

State-owned utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) claimed that it has enough power supply for smelter facilities in Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi. PLN is expected to increase its accumulative power surplus in those regions to 4,000 megawatt in 2016, according to Chairani Rachmatullah, PLN?s Senior Manager of Primary Energy Planning and Evaluation.

Last year, PLN?s power surplus in Java and Bali alone was 1,000 megawatt and is estimated to have 2,000 megawatt power surplus this year in Java, Bali and Sumatra. In 2015, the power surplus in those regions is expected to pick up to 3,000 megawatt.

?So, we are not worry about the power supply to meet demand from smelter facilities,? she said in Nusa Dua, Bali on Monday. PLN has received 23 proposals from smelter companies for power supply for their planned smelters. However, after reviewing the smelter development progress, Chairani said that most of those smelter companies are having problems with beneficiation stage, which means PLN has to halt its development as well.

PLN offers three business schemes for smelter companies. First, PLN will only provide the base-load power demand from the companies through PLN?s power grid, so the excess demand should be provided by the companies themselves. Second, PLN will build the power plant for the smelter companies and companies should pay compensation for the power plant as it will be their properties. Third is the combination of both schemes.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak