Malaysia choosing concessionaire for coal-fired plant

The government will decide on the concessionaire for the country's second 1,000-megawatt coal-fired power plant in June.

Energy Commission chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali said that they have issued the request for proposals from MMC Corp Bhd's unit, Malakoff Corp Bhd, and Jimah Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd with regard to the plant.

The sites for the plant would either be at Tanjung Bin in Johor, owned by MMC Corp Bhd or Jimah in Negeri Sembilan owned by Jimah Energy Ventures.

"We gave them until April this year to submit their proposals and we will do the analysis to decide on which one," Ahmad Tajuddin told reporters after a luncheon talk on alternative energy, organised by the Federation of Public Listed Companies Bhd, here Thursday.

Ahmad Tajuddin said the new plant was needed because the initial 1,600MW power to be generated by the Bakun hydroelectric station in Sarawak would not come to Peninsular Malaysia as planned in 2015.

"The immediate plan is to make sure that the gap left by Bakun is replaced. These coal-fired power plants would fill the gap," he said.

He said the first 1,000MW coal-fired power plant has been awarded to Tenaga Nasional Bhd, adding that TNB was in the final stages of making deciding on the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.

"The first plant is expected to commence operation in the first quarter of 2015 while the second plant will be in the first quarter of 2016.