Suralaya power plant faces shortage of coal supply

The Merak, Banten-based Suralaya steam power plant, one of the country?s major power plants, is facing an acute shortage of coal due to a sharp decline in the supply during the last several months, Kompas reported Friday.

PLN?s director for power generation and prime energy, Ali Herman, said in Jakarta on Thursday that the existing coal stocks of about 100,000 tons would only be enough to feed the power plants for four days.

?If the stocks continue to deplete, the plant will have no choice but to use fuel in order to be able to operate,? he said, adding that in a normal condition, the power plant needs between 25,000 tons and 30,000 tons of coal a day

The Suralaya power plant has a long-term contract to buy coal from state-owned coal producer PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) and from several coal producers in Kalimantan. But the damage in the railway track which connects PTBA?s coal mine in Tanjung Enim, South Sumatra and its coal terminal in Tarahan, Lampung has resulted in the decline in the supply to the Suralaya power plant from 50,000 tons to 40,000 tons per day.

?We hope the supply will return to normal in June. PTBA and state owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia have agreed to work together in repairing the damage in the railway track,? Herman said.

He said that PTBA had procured about 250,000 tons of coal from Kalimantan to offset the decline in the supply from its coal mine in January. However, the coal supply from Kalimantan has also been disrupted due to poor transportation. Heavy rains during the past several weeks had damaged main roads linking coal mines and coal terminals, disrupting the coal transportation . (*)