PLN TO INVEST RP57 TRILLION IN BUILDING TRANSMISSION NETWORKS

Jambi, Jan 15 (ANTARA)- State electricity company PT PLN is to invest Rp 57 trillion in the construction of transmission networks across the country in anticipation of increased need for electical power in the future, a PLN official said.
PLN president director Fahmi Mochtar said here on Thursday domestic need for electricity would reach 57,000 MW per year and this needed to be supported by the expamsion of the power transmission networks to provide better services to customers.
For 2009, PLN had planned to invest Rp 57 trillion in transmission network building, he said. The funds would come from the PLN itself supported by funds from the state budget. .
In addition, the power company had also reduced its operational cost such as that in 2008, the company made efficiency in its spending despite the government's subsidy amounting to Rp88 trillion , Fahmi said.
The higher efficiency was achieved among others by converting fuel oil into gas and coal, he added.
Citing an example, Fahmi said with the gas produced by energy company PLTG Silincah as the fuel oil conversion system carried out in Jambi, PLN could save cost ranging from Rp 500 billion to Rp700 billion per year.