Tender for coal supply for new power plants delayed

A move by several bidders to withdraw from the tender for the construction of a number of coal-fired power plants to be built under the government's fast track program has forced state-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to delay the auction for the coal supply for these new power plants.

PLN?s deputy director of prime energy Tony Agus Mulyantono said in Jakarta the coal supply tender, which was initially scheduled to be launched on Wednesday, was delayed until Friday because the company was waiting for a confirmation on the number of coal-fired power plants to be built under the fast track program.

"We should know the actual number of new power plants to be built before opening the auction for the coal procurement," he said.

PLN began Wednesday to receive bidding documents from participants of the tender for the construction of several coal-fired power plants to be built under the government's fast track program to provide additional power supply of about 10,000 MW between 2007 and 2009.

But a number of bidders including a consortium of Japanese company Marubeni and Adhi Karya have pulled out from the tender. (godang)