S. Kalimantan eyes power deal with Banpu

South Kalimantan province is seeking cooperation with Thai coal miner Banpu Plc to build a 130 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power generator, the provincial governor said on Wednesday.

"I visited Thailand recently and I had talks with Banpu about possibly building a 130 MW generator in South Kalimantan," Governor Sjachriel Darham told reporters after meeting Vice-President Hamzah Haz.

"We have already built a 130 MW coal-fired power generator. We need two more of 130 MW each. The power will supply electricity in South Kalimantan and also Central Kalimantan," he said.

"Banpu is very experienced in building coal fired power generators and South Kalimantan is rich in coal reserves. We will talk further with Banpu on this issue," he added, without giving details.

Banpu has a coal mining operations in South Kalimantan, PT. Jurong Barutama Greston which targets production at 3 million tons this year. (*)