CHINESE INVESTOR INTERESTED IN BUILDING S SUMATRA POWER PLANT

Palembang, S Sumatra, Jan 21 (ANTARA) - A Chinese investor is interested in building a coal-fired power plant (PLTU) in cooperation with PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) and the South Sumatra provincial government, a local official said.

The Chinese investor had expressed its interest at a meeting with South Sumatra Governor H Alex Nurdin and PTBA representatives here on Thursday, the provincial goverment's chief information officer, Thontowi HEP, said.

The projected power plant, named Mulut Tambang, would be located at Central Banko, Muara Enim District, and have a capcity of 4X600 Mega Watt (MW), he said.

At the meeting with Governor H. Alex Noerdin, PTBA was represented by the company's development director, Heri Supraptro, and the Chinese investor by Yedejie, he said.

Thontowi further said the results of an analysis of a sample of the coal to be used in fueling the projected power plant would be known and discussed later this month.

Further discussions on the project would be held in February by the stakeholders. Talks on the sale of the power plant's output to state electricity company PLN would take place in March.

Thursday's meeting with the South Sumatra governor was a follow up of the result of Noerdin's recent visit to China to explore the possibility cooperating in the exploration of energy sources.
Meanwhile, Noerdin said the provincial government, its work partners and the Chinese investor were eager to carry out the power plant project as soon as possible.