PTBA pledges to meet coal supply contract to Suralaya plant

State owned coal mining company PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) has pledged it would be able to meet its contract to supply a total of 6.1 million tons of coal to the coal-fired Suralaya power plant near Merak, Banten, Suara Karya reported Wednesday.

As of May, PTBA has supplied about 2.15 million tons to the power plant, and planned to supply the remainders in the rest of the year, PTBA corporate secretary Milawarma said.

At present, PTBA transport its coal through state owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia's railway track to Tarahan before shipping the coal to both local and overseas buyers including the Suralaya power plant.

PT Kereta Api recently reduced the volume of coal transportation from the company after the publicly listed coal company initially refused to pay a higher transportation tariff. The coal transportation has, however, now returned to normal after the company finally agreed to pay the higher tariffs.

PTBA delivered only about 5.45 million tons last year due to the transportation problems. (*)