Thailand NPP
EGCO urges both coal-fired and nuclear-power plants
BANGKOK, Feb 21 (TNA) – Concened with high and rising production costs for electricity and the dwindling supplies of local natural gas used to produce power, Thailand's Egco Group is urging the new government to build coal- and nuclear-powered electricity plants to meet national needs.
Visit Akaravinak, president of Egco Group, Thailand's first independent power producer, said the kingdom currently uses locally-supplied natural gas for 70 per cent of its gas-powered electricity production, but local supplies are shrinking and becoming more expensive.
He said Thailand's energy minister should act, and build coal and nuclear-powered electricity plants despite protests from the public as such sources could bring down the local production costs as well as the prices paid by consumers.
The previous government planned to construct a 4,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear-power electricity plant and conducted a feasibility study, Mr. Visit said. The government should implement the project under study, he said, noting that the Egco Group plans to provide knowledge about nuclear-powered electricity plants to its staff.
Currently, the Egco Group is jointly investing with the state-owned Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and two other Thai firms in building 3,600 MW coal-powered electricity plant on Koh Kong in Cambodia. Costs are high because a 400-kilometre transmission line must be installed, he said.
Construction will have to take place in Cambodia, Mr. Visit said, because of protests over building any kind of electrical power plants in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop said her ministry would continue its feasibility study on a nuclear-powered electricity plant.
Budget allocation on the study is set at Bt1.3 billion and must be completed within three years, said Mrs. Poonpirom. If a nuclear-powered electricity plant is built within the next 13 years, both pros and cons in regard to the population as well as the economy, and acceptance by the public must first be taken into consideration. (TNA)-E111
