Update: Pemalang power project tender draws 22 bidders

(Adds the complete list of bidders' names on the third paragraph)

The tender of the 2,000 MW coal-fired power plant project in Pemalang, Central Java is drawing 22 bidders, including big players.

State-owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) called for bids on June 22, 2009. As of July 1, 2009, it had received prequalification bids from 22 independent power producers (IPP).

?We are studying the prequalification bidding documents,? PLN's Director of Planning and Technology Bambang Praptono said on Friday, adding the IPPs include Marubeni Corp, Mitsubishi Corp., Itochu Corp., Mitsui, Sumitomo Corp, Siemens, Kansai Electric, Huadian, Shenhua, Alstom Areva, YTL and Suez.

The winner of the tender will sign a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with PLN under a Build Own Operate (BOO) or Build Own Transfer (BOT) scheme. The firm will be given until 2010 to secure financing for the project so that it can start constructing the power plant from 2011. Assuming the construction takes three years, the power plant is expected to come on stream in 2013 or 2014, Bambang said.

The tender winner will also construct a 500 kV transmission line connecting the power plant with PLN?s power distribution network.

?We hope the PPA can be signed by the end of the year,? Bambang said. (Bernard)