PLN to build 9,000 MW electricity for Sumatera

Jambi (ANTARA News) - The government is planning to build 10,000 MW steam-powered electricity plants (PLTU), of which 9,000 MW will be designed for Sumatra, President Director of state-owned electricity company (PLN), Edi Widiyono said.

Edi Widiyono made the remarks after a meeting with Jambi Deputy Governor H Antony Zeidra Abidin here on Wednesday. He said that the remaining 1,000 MW would be provided for other regions in Indonesia.

The PLN president director said that it was a great challenge for the government to build PLTU`s with a combined capacity of 10,000 MW.

"But we are convinced that the government would be able to build 10,000 megawatts to cover the shortages of electricity supplies in the country," he said.

He said that the target would be achieved as long as there was good cooperation with the central government, regional governments and investors.

Edi said that the challenges the government was facing in the development of 10,000 MW electricity included land clearance for transmission lines.

He said that at least 120 companies had proposed applications for taking part in the tender of the PLTUs development projects.

The government has plans to launch 25 packages of tender for the development of PLTUs in Java and outside Java. Of the 25 packages, eight packages for Java and eight others for regions outside Java had been held.

For Sumatra, PLTUs of 2x600 MW will be built in Bangka Tengah district in the near future, 2x600 MW in the Bukit Asam and Musi Rawas districts (South Sumatra) and 2x600 MW in Riau province.