PLN to start construction of N. Sumatra power plant

State-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has begun the construction of a coal-fired power plant with a capacity of 400 megawatt in Pangkalan Susu in Langkat regency, North Sumatra, Antara news agency reported.

Indra Pribadi, the general manager of PLN?s power generation and traffic for North Sumatra, Aceh and Riau said that the power plant would have two units with a capacity of 200 megawatt each.

He hoped one of the two units would be able to begin commercial operation in August, 2010 and the other one in November in the same year.

According to him, the company has secured a 105 hectares plot for the power plant located in Pangkalan Susu district. ?PLN is completing the land clearance for the plant site, and will soon build the road to access the site,? he added.

The power plant is part of the government?s 10,000 MW fast-track project.

Indra said that the new power plant would cost about US$383 million to build. The project will be built by a consortium comprising of Chinese contractor Guangdong Power Engineering Corp. and its two local partners PT Bagus Karya of Jakarta and PT Nincec Multi Dimensi

In October 2007, President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono witnessed the signing of 10 power plant projects, consisting of five independent power producer (IPP) projects and five ?10,000 MW-crash program? power projects. The north Sumatra power plant is one of the project. (*)