White, Bayan to triple E. Kalimantan coal upgrading capacity

Australian Exchange-listed coal upgrading company White Energy Company Limited (WEC) said it and partner IDX-listed coal mining firm PT Bayan Resources have agreed to increase future capacity of its Tabang coal upgrading plant in East Kalimantan, from 5 million tonnes per annum to 15 MTPA.

?As regards to the funding of this increase in targeted capacity, WEC and Bayan are in final stages of selecting a Bank to underwrite the financing of the 4 million tonne phase of the project,? the company said on Friday.

WEC and Bayan through its JV company PT Kaltim Supacoal have completed construction the 1MTPA upgrading plant at Tabang and is currently being commissioned. ?Commissioning is scheduled to be completed by the end July 2009, thereby enabling operational ramp-up activities to commence,? the company said. WEC has 51 percent stake at the JV with Bayan takes the balance.(alex)