Wika, Chinese co to build power plant in East Kalimantan

State-owned construction company PT Wijaya Karya (JSX:WIKA) said it had agreed with the Chengda Engineering Corp. of China to build a coal-fired power plant in East Kalimantan.

Wika and Chengda had formed a consortium with a share split of 51:49 to build the 130-megawatt power plant in Kutai Kartanegara, at a cost of Rp1.4 trillion (US$155 million), the newspaper Investor Daily said.

The two signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract last weekend, Wika President Bintang Perbowo told the newspaper. Construction would start this year and be completed in 2010.

source: Antara | July 2008

President to inaugurate power plant`s firing unit in E. Kalimantan

Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, on Saturday, was scheduled to inaugurate firing unit I of Steam Power Plant (PLTU) Embalut, Tanjung Batu, East Kalimantan Province.

The Head of State on the occasion would be accompanied by Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro, East Kalimantan Governor Termizi A Karim, and President Director of PT Cahaya Fajar Kaltim Dahlan Iskan.

The President earlier said that the constructions of power plant projects were aimed at increasing the power supply.

When dedicating four power plants in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Friday Yudhoyono said since Indonesia`s independence in 1945, the country`s power capacity had been only 25,000 MW, despite the growth of the nation`s population and industries.

"Now we have additional power capacity of 10,000 MW more. At present, it`s enough, but later it should be added," he said referring to the newly inaugurated power plant projects.

To avoid the impact of the world energy crisis, the government of Indonesia has made efforts in improving environmentally friendly oil and gas production, developing alternative energy and cutting back on energy consumption.

The president appreciated the inauguration of the four power plants which will increase the voltage in four regions in Indonesia.

On Saturday afternoon, the Head of State would officially open the 17th National Sports Week (PON) in Samarinda which will be participated in by around 13,000 athletes.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was on a visit East Kalimantan Province from July 4 to 5, 2008 before proceeding to Malaysia and later to Japan to attend a Developing Eight (D-8) and G-8 Summit.

After his working visit in East Kalimantan, the President would go on trips to Malaysia and Japan from July 6 to 10, 2008.

source: Antara | July 2008

Indonesian president to launch massive Total gas fields

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is due to inaugurate Friday a massive new gas operation off Borneo by French giant Total, the company was quoted by Thomson Fonancial as saying.

The first phase of the Sisi-Nubi gas fields off East Kalimantan's Mahakam Delta went on stream in November and is scheduled to reach peak production of 350 million cubic feet (10 million cubic metres) a day by the end of the year.

Total, which operates Sisi-Nubi with INPEX and state energy monopoly Pertamina, is the largest gas producer in Indonesia.

The massive offshore project off the eastern end of Borneo has been highly anticipated as Indonesia seeks to cash in on surging prices for oil and gas.

The Sisi-Nubi fields will expand the existing Mahakam block, enabling Total to hold output at around 2.6 billion cubic feet per day into the next decade, according to the company.

source: Antara | July 2008

Jalan wilayah timur terus dilancarkan

Departemen Pekerjaan Umum menyatakan terus memaksimalkan pembangunan jalan pada wilayah Timur Indonesia.
Hal itu ditunjukan dengan pembangunan Lintas Selatan Kalimantan, Lintas Barat Sulawesi dan beberapa ruas jalan lain.

"Jalan lintas yang kita bangun tersebut kita targetkan berfungsi fungsional pada akhir 2009," ujar Direktur Jenderal (Dirjen) Bina Marga PU Hermanto Dardak, di Jakarta, Rabu (25/6/2008).

Hermanto mengatakan, untuk lintas selatan Kalimantan penanganan mulai dilakukan dari Simanggaris di Kalimantan Timur menuju Samarinda, Balikpapan, Batulicin, dan Banjarmasin.

Pembangunan jalan lintas sepanjang 3.368 kilometer (Km) tersebut dilanjutkan dari Palangkaraya, Sampit, Pangkalan Bun, Tayan, hingga jalan perbatasan di Entikong dan Aruk. Selain itu lintas selatan Kalimantan tersebut merupakan bagian dari Pan Borneo Highway.

"Lintas tersebut disepakati merupakan bagian dari kerja sama subregional antara Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia dan Filipina sebagai salah satu kawasan pertumbuhan ekonomi," tambahnya.

source: okezone.com | June 2008

Indonesia`s Bumi announces 442 mln tonnes new coal discovery

Indonesia's biggest coal company PT Bumi Resources Tbk said on Tuesday an additional 442 million tonnes of coal reserves have been discovered in the Pedayak region under the mine concession of its unit PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC).

Bumi had declared marketable coal reserves of 1.40 billion tonnes as of Oct 1, 2007.

The reserves are now expected to increase by 442 million tonnes to a minimum of 1.84 billion tonnes by August 2008, when it plans to declare its new augmented marketable coal reserves as of June 30, 2008.

The company is expecting its coal sales volume to rise to 62 million tonnes this year from 55.4 million tonnes in 2007, with the average selling price expected to increase to $70 per tonne from $44 per tonne.

Indonesia is the world's biggest thermal coal producer.

source: Antara | 10 June 2008

Orica approves $550 million investment in Bontang

Orica Ltd., the world's largest manufacturer of explosives used in mining and quarrying, said on Tuesday its board has approved the $550 million development of a 300,000 tonnes a year ammonium nitrate plant at Bontang in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan.

The project will supply Indonesia's growing mining industry, the Australian company was quoted by Thomson Financial as saying.

The investment will be made through Orica's joint venture company, PT Kaltim Nitrate Indonesia.

source: Antara | 17 June 2008