PLN mulls to turn South Sumatra into Indonesia?s energy center

State-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) president director Eddie Widiono said his company is planning to create South Sumatra as a main supplier of energy in the country, the Harian Ekonomi Neraca newspaper reported in its Tuesday edition.

Currently, the PLN is conducting an in-depth study in collaboration with its partner to make the plan a reality.

?There are three locations, which will become energy sources, in South Sumatra. One will be coal-fired mine mouth power plant at PT Bukit Asam's coal mining site in Tanjung Enim. This mine-mouth power plant will be built during the period of 2006-2007, Eddie said in Palembang over the weekend.

Once finished, the mine-mouth power plant would generate 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity and its capacity would be enhanced to 2,000 MW.

? If this happens, the electricity in this area will be surplus and it can be transmitted to Sumatra,? Eddie said.

The other two sources of energy in South Sumatra are: a 14 MW capacity power plant in Talang Duku and a 2x20 MW coal-fired power plant at Bukit Asam's mining site.(*)