Smelter Ferronickel East Halmahera Mangkrak, Erick Thohir Must Call Antam And PLN

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Between)

JAKARTA - The construction of ferronickel smelter development project in East Halmahera (Haltim) is in the spotlight of various parties. One of them, Executive Energy Watch director Mamit Setiawan. He assessed that the protracted problem of the ferronickel smelter development project should be resolved immediately.

As is known, the ferronickel smelter project in Haltim which is planned to synergize with PT PLN, until now its operation is delayed because there is no electricity flow.

"If this continues to be deadlocked, I think one of them the Ministry of SOEs should attend and invite both parties (Antam and PLN) to discuss related to this issue and discuss about this issue, so we try to find a win-win solution like what," he said when contacted by VOI, Monday, April 12.

According to Mamit, if Antam objected to the price offered by PLN, this could be discussed further. However, not by ignoring the letter sent by PLN.

"If you feel objected to the price offered by PLN yes monggo please discuss with PLN. Or there are other things that must be discussed b to b, I think the Ministry of SOEs as the parent of our SOEs, yes must intervene," he said.

With the physical condition of development that has reached 97.98 percent, said Mamit, this smelter should have been able to run. Therefore, there needs to be intensive re-talks between Antam and PLN, in order for this project to be completed soon.

If the synergy between Antam and PLN is not also improved by the Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir related to the smelter project, said Mamit, the impact will be huge on state losses.

"Surely the first loss is the material people are doing development. The second is the potential loss of state revenue, because this project is expected to be an additional source for the state, not to mention there will be lost tax losses," he said.

Not only that, said Mamit, with the mangkraknya ferronickel smelter project, the potential absorption of labor from the local area will also be lost.

"So quite a lot of things are finally insured due to the lack of the course of this project. My hope can be resolved soon. So that the development of this smelter can provide great benefits for the community around the local government and for the central government," he explained.

Just for information, related to electricity supply for smelters, it is known that the power plant procurement auction tender has been held since 2017. However, it was later revealed that the tender process was convoluted. It was revealed from a letter from PT PLN (Persero) sent to PT Aneka Tambang Tbk or Antam dated July 23, 2020.

In a letter signed by Director of Commerce and Customer Management Bob Saril, PLN offers a price of Rp595.65 per kilo watt per hour (kwh). Not only that, in August 2021 PLN promised smelter already commercial operation date or COD.

However, instead of responding to PLN, PT Antam instead opened a new tender. In fact, PT Antam cooperates with third parties or private parties as procurement agents.

Member of Commission VII of the House of Representatives Abdul Wahid highlighted the development of the ferronickel smelter project in East Halmahera. Because, the development of this project has reached 97.98 percent, but has not been supplied with electricity until now.

Furthermore, Abdul considers building a smelter without electricity supply to be evidence of synergy between SOEs echoed by the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) has not been running optimally.

"PLN has already made an offer. Just no response (Antam) to this day. We hear suddenly there is an offer from the private sector, how can it also be private taken by Antam," he said.

Related to this, Abdul requested that the Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir fix the synergy of the two red plate companies. Because, this is the homework of the Ministry of SOEs.

"The Minister of SOEs (Erick Thohir) should be firm dong, just about electricity aja kok. If it's about price can be dinego,"He insisted.