PLN signs power supply agreement with Meares Soputan

State owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) (Persero) has signed an agreement with gold mining firm PT Meares Soputan Mining (MSM) on power supplies to the latter?s gold mines in Likupang and Bitung, North Sulawesi province.

The agreement was signed Baringin Nababan, PLN General Manager for North Sulawesi-Central Sulawesi-Gorontalo (Suluttenggo) region, and MSM?s President Director Terkelin Purba. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Machnizon Masri, PLN?s Business Director for Sulawesi & Nusa Tenggara regions, bisnis.com reported on Tuesday.

Under the agreement, PLN will provide a special premium service for MSM to support the operation of its mines. This is possible since the Sulttenggo grid now experience power surplus amounting to 84 MW, Baringin said.

Installed capacity of power plants in the three provinces now reach 414 MW, while peak load in the system now stands at 330 MW, he explained.

?PLN will provide a Premium Silver special service to meet the power needs of MSM for its mining operation with supply amounting to 30 MVA. The power will be supplied through high-voltage 70 kV cables via Likupang and Bitung substations,? Baringin said.

Terkelin said MSM needs reliable power supplies for its operation. ?A reliable supply of power from PLN is very much needed to support the operation of our firm which is capital intensive and absorbs a lot of local workers,? he said.(*)