PLN still suffers gas supply shortage

State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) still uses a large volume of oil despite its high price because gas supply for the company?s power plants is still far from enough.

Nur Pamudji, the director for the company?s primary energy, said that at PLN received gas supply of about 802.74 billion British thermal unit (BBTU).

?But the supply is far from enough,? he said, adding that due to the lack of gas supply, the company still uses oil to operate its combined cycle power plants.

Nur said that about 40 percent of the gas supply is provided by PGN and the remaining 60 percent from PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) ONWJ.

Ideally, PLN gets gas supply of about 1,000 billion BBTUD.

?If we can receive such amount of gas supply, we can use gas to operate several combined cycle power plants including PLTGU Tambak Lorok (150 BBTUD), PLTGU Tanjung Priok (180 BBTUD), and PLTGU Muara Karang (90 BBTU).

As many of the combined cycle power plants still use oil, it will be difficult for PLN to reduce production costs. The projected increase in oil prices in the coming months will further caused an increase in the company?s production costs. (godang)