PLTU Cirebon to resume operation Oct. 4

The PLTU Cirebon coal fired power plant in Cirebon in West Java is expeted to resume operation on Oct. 4 after being shut down due to explosion at a boiler pipe of the plant.

The information was given by Heru Dewanto via an emai message on Monday, Vice Presient of PT Cirebon Electric Power (CEP), the owner of the power plant, according to beritasatu.com.

The firm forced to shut down the power plant after the explosion incident occured at 1 pm Friday.

Heru said now injuries or casualties were caused by the incident and the firm is still investigating the cause of the explosion.

?We are investigating the case and the power plant is expected to resume operation this Saturday,? he said.

Spokesman of state owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Lsitrik Negara (PLN) Bambang Dwiyanto earlier said the shutdown of the 660-MW power plant would not lead to blackout in the Java-Bali region as supply capacity in the Java-Bali network is currently estimated at 31,400 MW, while demand during peak load is about 23,400 MW, thus leaving about 26 percent margin.

The Cirebon power plant, owned by independent power producer PT Cirebon Electric Power, was suspended following the boiler explosion incident Friday afternoon, thus cutting electricity supply from the plant to the Java-Bali interconnection network, Bambang explained. (*)