Comparative Reaction of Substitution of Diesel-fueled Steam Power Plant and Coal-fueled Steam Power Plant

Abstract

The global crude oil price has begun to rise once more lately, nearing the level of US$ 90, which has significantly raised the operational expenses of diesel-powered power plants. Considering that the fuel expenses for power plants account for 60% to 80% (varying by the kind of power plant) of their operating costs. For this purpose, it is essential to replace diesel-powered plants with coal-powered plants as quickly as possible. This is due to the substantial coal energy reserves in Indonesia, which ensures a consistent coal supply to fulfill fuel requirements throughout the operational period of the PLTU (30 years). The global price of coal is significantly lower than that of diesel fuel, making coal-fired power stations an excellent substitute for diesel-powered plants. Despite the higher investment and operating expenses of coal-fired power plants compared to oil-fired ones, when accounting for fuel as the main cost, the overall expense of coal-fired power plants remains significantly lower than that of oil-fired power plants