PLN estimates national coal consumption at 57.3 million tons

By Hiski Darmayana

State-owned electricity company PLN estimated that national coal consumption until end of this year will reach 57.3 million tons. This includes consumption by the company, its subsidiaries, and independent power producers (IPPs).

?We?re confident that this prediction will be realized, because there will be new coal fired power plants to be operated later this year such as the Pelabuhan Ratu, Pacitan and Bangka Baru plants,? Head of PLN Coal Division, Helmi Najamuddin told Petromindo.com Tuesday.

Meanwhile, as of end of September, the realized coal consumption by PLN and the IPPs reached 39.1 million tons, or about 68.2 percent of the projected full-year consumption.

?We have spent Rp 35 trillion to fulfill the coal consumption this year,? Helmi said.

He added that until 2014, the company had already contracted its coal consumption needs, meaning that PLN will not make new coal contracts over the next two years. ?New contracts will probably be made in 2015,? he said, while adding that the contracts until 2014 cover coal volume of 69.2 million tons per year.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak