PLN needs 97m of coal in 2014

By Cepi Setiadi

State owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said that it would consume about 97 million tons of coal in 2014.

PLN's head of coal division Helmi Najamudin said the company would open a bidding round for 19.4 million tons of coal, or 20 percent of the company's total requirement, in the fourth quarter of next year.

"The rest will be fulfilled by the existing contracts," he said.

Helmi said that, for this year, the company has so far consumed some 10 million of coal, and another 12 million tons are set to be absorbed in the second quarter, adding that the coal consumption increase was due to the commencement of several new power plants such as Tarahan, Paiton, Cirebon and Pacitan.

Editing By Adianto P. Simamora