Suralaya may hold another tender for coal supply

State electricity firm PLN may order its wholly owned subsidiary PT. Indonesia Power (IP) to hold another tender for 1MTPA of term coal supply for Suralaya 3,400-MW power plant in Banten province after the previous two tenders failed to produce winner due to high offer prices, a PLN official said.

“Under the internal procedure, IP may directly appoint suppliers if two tenders held failed to produce winner. But PLN will ask IP to held the tender one more time, and if the price the participants offered are still above IP’s limit, there will be direct negotiation, followed by direct appointment,” PLN Director Ali Herman Ibrahim told Petromindo.Com Monday.

Suralaya General Manager Bambang Susianto said last week that the previous two tenders has only attracted East Kalimantan miners PT.Kideco Jaya Agung and PT. Berau Coal, all of which were offering price above IP’s limit of Rp.384,000 (US$ =Rp.9,100) per tonne CIF for 5,100 Kcal /kg coal. IP has also tried to scout for coal supply from smaller producers with no success. Bambang said the closest price the suppliers offered was Rp.424,000 per tonne.

Suralaya need around 1 million tonnes of coal to supplement coal supply from state coal mining firm PT.Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA). (godang)