Two private power plants to operate ahead of schedules

State-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negera (PLN) is upbeat that two private power plant projects, the new power units at the coal-fired PLTU Tanjung Jati B power plant and the new PLTU Cirebon coal-fired power plant, will be able to operate by the end of 2011 and 2012 ahead of their initial schedules.

PLN?s Planning Director Bambang Praptono said in Jakarta on Sunday that PLTU Tanjung Jati B III and IV which were currently under construction in Jepara, Central Java were expected to begin commercial operation in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

The Tanjung Jati B units III and IV, each with the capacity of 660 megawatt, are located within the existing Tanjung Jati B power plant complex, some 40 kilometers from Jepara town. Like the existing power plant, the new Tanjung Jati B power units are being built by Sumitomo Corporation of Japan, with financing facilities from Japan Bank for International Corporation.

At present, PLTU Tanjung Jati B has two power generation units, that is Tanjung Jati B I and Tanjung Jati B II, which also have a capacity of 660 megawatt respectively.

Meanwhile, Bambang said that PLTU Cirebon, which is now under construction in Cirebon, Central Java, was also expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2011.

The 600 MW PLTU Cirebon is built by Marubeni Corporation of Japan. (*)