PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam Tbk : PTBA Aims for Power Plant Auction

JAKARTA - PT Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk. hopes to get an additional 1,000 megawatt mine steam power plant construction project from an auction that will open this year.

Bukit Asam Corporate Secretary Adib Ubaidillah said it is still awaiting the auction of steam power plant (PLTU). However, mappings regarding which potential areas are already running. 'We are exploring which one can participate. The priority remains in Sumatra, but it is not possible to join Kalimantan as it exists, ' he said.

Mine mouth power plant is a plant built in coal mining area. He hopes to get an additional 1,000 megawatt (MW) mine steam power plant project. This is in line with the company's coal supply capability. On the other hand, PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) said it will auction the power plant with a total capacity of 6,000 MW in all areas in the rest of this year. The auction will be propagated for mine mouth power plant.

Supangkat Iwan Santoso, Director of Procurement at PLN, said the mine mouth power plant will dominate because in addition to the process will be faster, the cost required is also cheaper because it is not burdened with logistics costs. 'This year there are 6,000 MW of which we will auction. Tender mouth of the mine will be propagated, in accordance with RUPTL [power supply business plan], 'he said.

According to Iwan, the average capacity of PTLU Mouth Mine is about 300 MW. There will be no auction for mine mouth power plant with capacity exceeding 1,000 MW. That is, if the target capacity above 1,000 MW, PTBA certainly will participate in several auction locations. In the meantime, related to PTLU Mulut Tambang Sumsel 8 project, Adib ensure that its capacity is fixed at 2x620 MW.

Previously, there was a dispute between PTBA and PLN. PLN wants the specification to be changed to 3x400 MW due to transmission constraints. However, ultimately the Sumatra 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission is ensured to be built so that its capacity permits according to the original plan. 'Capacity remains 2x620 because it was built Sumatra grid 500 kV right,' said Adib.

Meanwhile, the process of revising power purchase agreement (PPA) with PLN is still ongoing. Adib said that the possibility of revision of the PPA will be agreed in the near future. The government encourages the development of mine mouth power plant to make the generated electricity cheaper so that the tariffs paid by consumers are lower. Because the coal is the main fuel of the plant does not need to be transported again. (Lucky L. Leatemia)

Source: Bisnis Indonesia