PLN delays gas and coal payment

State-owned electricity company PLN has delayed the payment of gas and coal it bought from Pertamina and PT Bukit Asam, respectively worth US$46 million and RP 1.5 trillion as the government has not yet paid its electricity subsidy worth Rp 7.9 trillion.

PLN?s president Eddie Widiono said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the gas bills which had not been paid by the electricity company for November reached $46 million, while those for fuel and its transportation costs totaled Rp 355 billion.

"The payment for the coal to PT Bukit Asam, which is worth Rp 437 billion has also been delayed. The same with the coal bills worth Rp 732 billion to other suppliers,? he was quoted as saying by Bisnis Indonesia.

According to Eddie the payment for the electricity subsidy for the period of 2000 has been delayed because the amount should be first audited by the government?s auditor BPKP. The audit, he said, only started on August 20 and it was still going on.

"The electricity subsidy for this year has also been delayed as the disbursement was only approved by Minister of Finance on November 19,? he said, adding that he was pessimistic to be able to receive the subsidy this year.

Electricity said that the electricity subsidy for 2001 totaled Rp 3.63 trillion and for about Rp 3.15 trillion for 2000, and another Rp 1.12 trillion for fiscal year 1999/2000, he said.(*)