PLN IN BABEL BUILDS THREE PLTDs

Pangkalpinang, Mar 8 (ANTARA) - State power company PT PLN for Bangka Belitung (Babel) province in May 2010 planned to build three diesel power plants (PLTDs) to solve power supply shortages in the province, the company's spokesman for the area Edwin Adrin said here Monday.

He said the three PLTDs will be built in Merawang with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), in Bangka Selatan 5 MW, and in Bangka Barat 2 MW.

In the meantime, the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Air Anyir with a capacity of 30 MW will also be completed in 2010.

"With the completion of PLTU Air Anyir the 27,000 potential subscribers of PLN in Babel could be served," ujarnya.

"About 10 aging generators in Merawang are in need of serious maintenance this time," he said.
He said PLTD Merawang needs a great deal of operational cost especilly for buying diesel oil running to hundreds of millions of rupiah.

"Not to mention maintenance and repair cost while we have to operate the generators for 24 hours," he said.