Suralaya to expand coal unloading capacity

PT.Indonesia Power will significantly increase coal unloading capacity at its Suralaya 3,400-MW power plant in Banten to anticipate increasing coal requirement and to secure supply.

Director Bambang Susianto told Petromindo.com on Monday that the company planned to expand the length of its second unloading pier by 250 meters and to add one more unit of continuous ship unloader to enable the pier to simultaneously serve two panamaxes.

Suralaya has two unloading piers with one is dedicated to serve barges.

Bambang said facility addition would increase unloading rate from 9.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 16 MTPA.

The company has on Monday opened tender to search for EPC contractor to carry out the plan. Bambang expected the construction could start April this year. He did not say when the development expected to be completed.

Suralaya currently requires coal consumption of around 10 million tonnes per year, 60 percent of which is supplied by state coal mining firm PTBA from its South Sumatra mining operations. The company has been given clearance by parent company state electricity firm PLN to build another unit of 600-MW in Suralaya complex. (godang)