EGAT Asks Public To Conserve Energy

[Jai Dee]

EGAT asks public to conserve energy

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is asking for the cooperation of Thai citizens in conserving energy, while EGAT officials report the 6th time that electrical loads have hit their peak this year.

The Deputy Governor of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Mr. Apichat Diroksophon (อภิชาต ดิลกโศภณ), in his capacity as spokesperson of EGAT, revealed electrical loads nationwide hit a peak of 22,071.4 megawatts that on March 28. This peak load was higher than expected by 400 megawatts.

The Deputy Governor affirmed that EGAT had sufficient electricity generating surplus to accommodate demands in the summer season this year. Mr. Apichat said that EGAT also conducted regular maintenance and repairs to their equipment in order to ensure proper working conditions.

The Deputy EGAT Governor added that highest expected electricity loads this year are expected to increase further. EGAT is therefore asking for public cooperation in practicing energy conservation measures such as converting from incandescent to fluorescent light bulbs, setting air conditioner temperatures at no less than 25 degrees Celsius, and selecting electrical appliances which do not consume much electricity.

Mr. Apichat added that conervation measures would not only save on household expenses but would contribute to national savings.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 29 March 2007

[lingling]

Somehow, I feel that this thread is very much related to this one: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=112366

The easy solution would be to:

1) Immediately ban installations of air conditioners in new buildings that completely lack insulation.

2) Give all existing building and house owners a grace period of say... two years for commercial and five years for residential to add some form of insulation to all air conditioned rooms. Not full insulation but at least one type of insulation of the owner's choice; ceiling insulation, wall insulation, insulated windows, rubber seals for doors/windows or whatever. Those who can not afford commercial insulation materials can easily use those that are available for free; old newspapers, cardboard, sawdust, rice straw or whatever.

If anyone who don't comply with those two measures get charged twice the standard rate per kWh then everybody would very soon be interested in getting insulation. At first I bet something like this wouldn't go down well, but when people see that their electricity costs fall sharply after adding a bit of insulation that then many will probably spend money on insulation instead of wasting energy.

[chownah]

Tax any residence that goes over 1,000 baht per month and use the income to subsidize the cost of insulating single family residences.

[marquess]

Surely with the decline the price of a barrel of oil from the $70 and the appreciation of the Baht, I have yet to see those savings passed on to the customer!?

[chownah]

Does the price of oil have much impact on the price of electricity in Thailand....I thought most of the electricity was hydro or coal or natural gas purchased on long term contracts.

Chownah

[marquess]

Does the price of oil have much impact on the price of electricity in Thailand....I thought most of the electricity was hydro or coal or natural gas purchased on long term contracts.

Chownah

A big enough impact to make sure that bills went up with the increase in the price of oil!

[astral]

What is EGAT doing to encourage the use of alternative sources of energy,

solar heating, solar panels, etc

These items are hard to find in LOS and usually imported and therefore heavily taxed.

Hardly the way to encourage energy efficiency.

[Mai Krap]

Why don't they make Karaoke Bars close at 10pm and turn off all their lights? How about ending these all night parties where the whole village is lit up like the sun and music plays all night so very loudly? Another place they could start is these government offices in the middle of nowhere with millions of lights lighting up nothing for nobody all night long. Ive noticed a few cities that instead of putting up cost saving practical lighting prefer to spend their money on impractical fancy electricity wasting ornamental lighting so the poor barefoot kids and pregnant mothers of the next generation of peasants can stare into them like deer in the headlights. Sorry, I'm not buying the latest bullshitt, I had my feel when they started in on closing shopping venues early being to simple to understand traffic patterns and fuel costs, or more likely having a agenda that is not in the best interest of Joe Khao "The common man."

[PhilHarries]

Just turn the thermostats in the shopping malls, cinemas and stores up five or ten degrees . Why does the temperature have to be down at an arctic 10 - 15 degrees when 20 or even 25 is comfortable?

[raslin]

One must not forget that the Provincial Electricity Authoriyt (PEA) has been co-operating for years by having frequent power cuts.

No rain: power cut. Rain: no power cut. Thunder anywhere in Thailand: power cut.

They have been doing it for years.