PLN to supply electricity to Malaysia?s Sabah

By Nova Farida & Bernard Loebs

State-owned electricity firm PT PLN plans to supply up to 300 MW of electricity from Kalimantan to neighboring Sabah in Malaysia. To realize the plan, PLN will develop a 2x200 MW coal-fired power plant (PLTU), to be located either in North or East Kalimantan, and a cross border interconnection linking Kalimantan and Sabah.

PLN on Wednesday signed a MoU over the planned project with Malaysia?s Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).

?The MoU is for the construction of a PLTU to take advantage of abundant coal in Kalimantan and transmit electricity of up to 300 MW from Kalimantan to Sabah,? said PLN President Director Sofyan Basir.

He said that PLN, TNB, and SESB will cooperate in carrying out feasibility study over the planned project covering the system, technology, coal mine, business model, and cross border issues.

?Once the feasibility study has been completed, and the project is considered feasible, the cooperation will be upgraded into a definitive agreement,? Sofyan said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak