Three new giant power plants to operate ahead of schedules

State electricity company PLN will speed up the construction of Tanjung Jati B, Cilacap and Cilegon power plants so that the three giant power producers will be able to operate early this year, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Saturday.

"We don't have many choices but to speed up the construction of the three power plants to cope with the worsening deficit in the power supply in Java and Bali," PLN's director for power generation and prime energy Ali Herman Ibrahim was quoted as saying.

Herman said in Jakarta on Thursday that the three power plants were expected to be able to operate in November this year, earlier than the initial schedules. The three power plants, which will provide additional power supply of 2,500 MW into PLN's transmission grid in Java and Bali, were initially scheduled to begin operation in 2006.

He said that the Tanjung Jati B power plant, which has a capacity to generate power supply of 1,600 MW, had began its trial operation. "The power plant is expected to begin commercial operation in November.

According to him Cilegon and Cilacap power plants, which will have a capacity of 740 MW and 600 MW, respectively, are also expected to begin their commercial operation by the end of the year. (*)