Malaysia shortlists 3 sites for coal-fired plant

BTImes 10/8/2010

Three power plants have been identified as the possible choice to house a coal-fired plant that will be built to add 1,600 megawatts to the Peninsular Power Grid by the first quarter of 2015.
They are the
Tanjung Bin Power Plant owned by MMC Corp Bhd subsidiary Malakoff Corp Bhd;
Jimah Power Plant located in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan; and
the coal-fired power plant in Manjung, Perak, managed by Tenaga Janamanjung Sdn Bhd.

There are no clear indications yet as to which of the three will be entrusted to develop the additional capacity.However, it is understood that the three power plants were shortlisted because of their existing facilities.It is also understood that an announcement will be made soon on the plant selected to start the project.

Energy Commission chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali said that construction of the coal-fired plant would take about 42 months."The additional plant is necessary considering that the power plant in Bakun, Sarawak, is not forthcoming. Initially, it was supposed to provide the power."However, the decision on this (new coal plant) has to be done soon as it takes 42 months to construct a coal power plant," he told reporters after presenting a paper at the Energy Forum 2010 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Ahmad Tajuddin said the Energy Commission, the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, and the Economic Planning Unit should decide fast on the implementation of the coal-fired plant to avert the risk of a power shortage in the next five years.He added that there was a need for the new plant as electricity demand was increasing by the day, especially from the large industries.