PMETAL ... Apr11

Press Metal Bhd and three foreign companies, which together plan to invest some RM9.5bil in energy-intensive industries in Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu, have signed separate power purchase agreement (PPA) term sheet with Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB).

Press Metal and the three companies OM Materials,Asia Minerals Ltd and Tokuyama Corp would require a long-term supply of 1,300MW to power their plants. The electricity will be supplied by the 2,400MW Bakun hydroelectric dam, which is expected to produce its first 300MW in three months.

Press Metal, which owns and operates an aluminium smelter in Mukah, would invest RM5bil in a new smelter project in Samalaju. Press Metal, which also has operations in China, Singapore and Dubai, sold 20% of its stakes in Press Metal Sarawak to Japan's Sumitomo Corp about six months ago.

OM Materials, a Singapore company listed on Australian Stock Exchange, and has operations in China, Australia and Africa, will invest US$300mil (RM903mil) in a manganese and ferro-silicon smelting plant.

Asia Minerals Ltd, a Hong Kong company with current operations in Mongolia, China, South Africa and Brazil, will also set up a manganese smelting plant with an investment of US$200mil (RM602mil).

Tokuyama Corp would invest RM3bil in a polycrystalline silicon factory, which is now under construction.

The proposed plants of the four companies, which are the first batch of investors in Samalaju in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score), are expected to start commerical production next year and in 2013.

SEB would finalise the PPA with the four companies.

SEB was concluding the PPA term sheet with another three Score investors, which planned to invest close to RM3bil.

Meanwhile it has proposed a rights issue to raise between RM316.7 million and RM323.7 million to finance the Samalaju aluminium smelting project in Sarawak.

The rights issue involved the issuance of up to RM323.73 million nominal value of redeemable convertible secured loan stocks (RCSLS) at 100% of its nominal value with up to 147.15 million warrants.

The rights issue was to advance funds to its unit Press Metal Bintulu Sdn Bhd to part finance the 120,000  tonnes capacity aluminium smelting plant and infrastructure building cost to cater for additional 120,000 tonnes capacity in Samalaju.