PLN, Japanese firms to develop high-tech coal-fired plants

State-owned electricity firm PT. Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) is planning to team up with 30 Japanese firms to develop coal-fired power plants using the so-called ultra supercritical coal (USC), an advanced technology, which promises the use of less coal, Kontan reported on Thursday.

PLN Director of Construction, Nasri Sebayang said that the project will be implemented via Indonesia-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism. The Japanese firms interested to participate in the project among others are Shimizu, Mitsubishi, Yokogawa, Mitsui, and Kyusu Electric.

Nasri said that the use of the USC technology is quite expensive. He said that while the cost of developing a traditional coal-fired plant is about US$1.5 million per MW, by using the USC technology the cost increases to around $2 million per MW. That?s why the USC technology is applied on large capacity plant of more than 600 MW.

He said that if tender process could be completed this year, and construction starts next year, a new USC-based power plant would start commercial operation in 2019.

Meanwhile, Director General of Electricity Jarman said that there are already a couple of coal-fired power plants in Indonesia using the USC technology such as the Cirebon and Paiton plants. ?The technology is planned to be applied at the Batang (2000 MW) plant, and expansion of the Cirebon plant (1,000 MW),? he said. (*)