BISNISTIME.COM, Kolaka – PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTAM) continues to bolster its role in supporting mineral downstreaming through a strategic partnership with PT PLN (Persero). Through this collaboration, PLN provides a 150 Megavolt Ampere (MVA) electricity supply for ANTAM’s Ferronickel Smelter located in Pomalaa District, Kolaka Regency, Southeast Sulawesi.
This electricity supply from PLN enables ANTAM to transition from using fossil-fuel power plants, aligning with the company’s commitment to increase the use of environmentally friendly energy and support the national decarbonization program.
ANTAM’s Ferronickel Smelter, managed by the Kolaka Nickel Mining Business Unit, serves as a crucial facility in the mineral downstream chain. With this partnership, the smelter, which has a production capacity of 27,000 tons of nickel in ferronickel (TNi) annually, is expected to operate more optimally and efficiently to meet market demand, much of which is intended for export.
ANTAM’s President Director, Nico Kanter, stated that this collaboration with PLN not only enhances operational efficiency but also supports the company’s efforts in technological transformation and carbon emission reduction.
“This partnership is a concrete step in realizing SOE synergy and supporting downstreaming with more environmentally friendly energy. This collaboration will benefit not only both parties but also contribute to the national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060,” said Nico.
One key advantage of this partnership is the integration of electricity networks from renewable energy sources. Nico explained that in an initial phase in 2025, ANTAM plans to use renewable energy through a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) purchase scheme of 112,940 REC units per year, equivalent to 112.9 Megawatt Hours (MWh).
“This move is part of ANTAM’s contribution to the energy transition by utilizing clean energy while ensuring that the ferronickel smelter in Kolaka operates with green energy,” he added.
PLN is committed to fully supporting the electricity needs of the smelter industry. PLN’s President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo, highlighted that the smelter is one of the strategic projects supporting mineral downstreaming in Indonesia. Therefore, PLN is dedicated to meeting the smelter’s electricity requirements with a reliable, high-quality, and competitively priced power supply.
“The smelter industry requires significant amounts of electrical energy, and PLN is ready to fulfill this need with reliable, quality power at competitive prices. PLN is also prepared to meet industrial sector demands with innovative, eco-friendly products and services,” Darmawan stated.
Darmawan also added that PLN is ready to supply the electricity needs of ANTAM’s smelter in Kolaka through the PLN South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi (“Sulselrabar”) Distribution Unit, ensuring a sufficient supply of clean energy with a renewable generation rate of 45.78%, one of the highest in Indonesia.
This collaboration benefits not only both SOEs but also positively impacts the local and national economy. ANTAM’s ferronickel smelter in Kolaka is a strategic project aligned with the government’s efforts to encourage mineral downstreaming and generate a multiplier effect through investment in the industrial and renewable energy sectors.
With this collaboration, ANTAM continues to strengthen its contribution to the national economy, particularly in the mineral sector, and advances its efforts towards a green and sustainable energy transition.
