Tanjung Jati B power plant will operate in July 2006

State-owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) will operate Tanjung Jati B coal-fired power plant in July 206 on commercial basis. The 2x660 megawatt (MW) plant?s operations will make sure that the PLN will certainly avoid the Rp 40 billion fine because it will be opened on time.

PLN general manager for supply center for Java-Bali power line Muljo Adji said that the PLN is trying hard to complete the power plant project on time.

?Later in July, one unit with a capacity of 660 MW will start its operation and join the Java-Bali (power line) system,? Muljo said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

One more unit, he said, will start operating in four months time after the first began working. PLN is optimistic that both the projects will be completed on time.

Besides this two units, there are two more coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2x300 MW in Cilacap in Central Java this year. will start operations Muljo told reporters on Tuesday that the first unit of Cilacap thermal power plant with a capacity of 300 MW will begin operating in February 2006.

The commissioning test of the first unit of the thermal power station is currently underway, he said, adding that the second unit, which also has a capacity of 300 MW is scheduled to begin operating around April 2006.

The Cilacap thermal power plant is one of the three power plants using non-oil fuels with a total capacity of 2,660 MW belonging to the state-owned electricity company PLN which will support the Java-Bali power generation and transmission system.

The two other power plants operated by non-oil fuels consist of Tanjung Jati B coal-fueled power plant with a capacity of 2x660 MW in Central Java and a gas-fueled power plant with a capacity of 740 MW in Cilegon, West Java.

The Cilegon gas-fueled power plant will begin operating in April 2006, followed by Tanjung Jati B coal-fueled power plant, which has made preparation to operate its first power generation unit as of July 2006 and its second unit as of November 2006.

The operation of the three power plants using non-oil fuels will increase the capacity of the Java-Bali power generation system from 19,615 MW at present to 22,275 MW, far above the estimated peak load of about 16,000 MW in 2006, according to Muljo.

The application of non-oil fuel will reduce oil fuel consumption in electricity generation in the country by 2 million kl from 5.2 million kl at present to 3.2 million kl, he explained. (Godang)