PLN to develop 30 additional coal-fired power plants

State-owned electricity company PLN unveiled plans to develop 30 coal-fired power plants, each with a capacity of below 20 MW with total investment of Rp 3.6 trillion, Investor Daily reported on Thursday.

The additional 30 coal-fired power plants will be on top of the phase I 10,000 MW power plant project, which are mainly coal-fired units, and the phase II 10,000 MW project, which consists of coal-fired and gas-fired power plants as well as plants based on renewable energy sources.

PLN President Director Nur Pamudji said that EPC contractors for the planned new project will be selected from a list of state-owned enterprises. About 99 percent of the construction materials used will be local products. The only construction material to be imported is steel, he said.

?We?ll build another 30 coal-fired power plant projects, each with a capacity of below 20 MW and average investment of $1.1 million per MW. That?s outside the existing power plant development projects,? Pamudji said.

He added that the company expects tender process will be much better now as the company has ample time for preparation.

The first project to be completed is the Timika 4x7 MW power plant project, which is expected to start commercial operation next year, he said.(*)