Several non-fuel power plants in Sumatra will soon be operated

State owned electricity company PLN will operate at least six non-fuel power plants in Sumatra within the next two years as part of its plan to gradually reduce the operation of diesel oil power plants, Kompas reported on Thursday.

PLN's director for power transmission and distribution, Harman Darnel Ibrahim said in Aceh on Wednesday that the increase in the fuel prices had caused an increase in the company's fuel spending by about Rp 35 trillion this year.

He said that the increase in the diesel oil price to about Rp 5,000 from about Rp 2,200 in July would further increase PLN's fuel spending by at least Rp 50 trillion next year "Based on the old price, PLN's fuel spending is estimated to reach between Rp 60 trillion to Rp 70 trillion a year," he added.

According to him, the planned operation of several non-fuel power plants in North Sumatra, South Sumatra and Bangka Belitung are expected to significantly reduce the fuel use. In Sumatra, abut 62 percent of the power plants still use fuel product.

The non-fuel power plants which will be operated between 2006 and 2007 include the 82 MW hydro power plant in Ranum North Sumatra, which is expected to begin operation this year, and the 210 MW Musi hydro power plant in South Sumatra, which is also scheduled to begin operation in 2006.

Others are the unit three and four of the Tarahan coal-fired power plant in Lampung (in 2007 with capacity of 200 MW), the Labuhan Angin coal-fired power plant in North Sumata (230 MW/2007), the coal-fired Mantung power plant in Bangka Belitung (14 MW/2007) and the Air Anyer coal-fired power plant in Bangka Belitung (14 MW/2007). (*)