Prawit mulling plan for desalination plants in thirsty EEC

By THE NATION

 

 

Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan is considering a proposal for desalination plants to produce freshwater from seawater in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

 

Drawn up by the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), the plan is aimed at preventing water shortages in the special industrial zone.

 

If the deputy PM gives the go-ahead, the ONWR will study the economic, engineering and environmental feasibility of the project, said ONWR secretary general Samroeng Sangphuwong.

 

The study will be conducted in 2021, with desalination plants constructed in 2022 and 2023 before operations begin in 2024. The plants will be located in Chonburi and Rayong provinces.

 

Demand for water is rising fast in the EEC.

 

Useable water totalled 2.539 billion litres this year, with demand at 2.419 billion litres.

 

However, demand is estimated to reach 2.888 billion litres in 2027 and 3.019 billion litres in 2037.

 

The desalination project aims to boost the EEC’s useable water by 2.20 per cent by producing 200,000 litres of freshwater per day.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398511

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-25

 

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Wong decreed only the finest pumps are to be used .. 

 

Thailand's yearly rainfall and water supply is far in excess of it's needs so it's a crying shame it even needs to consider these power hungry plants rather having a reliable retain and distribution infrastructure for water.

De-Sal plants?

 

courtesy of China..... the donor that keeps on giving

Let me guess they will be constructed by Sino Thai and operated by Gulf Energy?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The desalination project aims to boost the EEC’s useable water by 2.20 per cent by producing 200,000 litres of freshwater per day.

 

2.2% ?

 

Hardly seems worth the expense and effort.

 

There must be a more efficient and sustainable option.

Desalination plants are a good idea where there are little or no storage areas to keep the excess water during the rainy season or when ever their friends up country turn off the valves. However, as has been pointed out already these type of plants need a lot of power, coupled with the country planning to go all electric one has to wonder where all this additional power will be generated, after all Thailand does not want any Chinese coal fired power stations as has happened in Cambodia.

TRANSLATION:

For all the government's assurance that the region has sufficient water supply, albeit enhanced by proposed water managemnt studies to allegedly optimize that supply.....

The government was overly optimistic. Regional supply is limited and cannot support both agriculture and EEC industries.

Without a new water source (ie., desalinization) either the EEC or agricultural industry will fail.

But thanks to the foreign investments, it's been a great run spending those funds.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The study will be conducted in 2021, with desalination plants constructed in 2022 and 2023 before operations begin in 2024. The plants will be located in Chonburi and Rayong provinces

If there really is a study happening in 2021, maybe they shouldn't have released details of construction in 2022 and 2023 and operations starting in 2024 and locations. Just to make it look legitimate.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

If the deputy PM gives the go-ahead, the ONWR will study the economic, engineering and environmental feasibility of the project,

While asking China to fund it?

Probably the most expensive option available, evn the middle east balks at the cost!

8 minutes ago, Darkside Gray said:

Probably the most expensive option available, evn the middle east balks at the cost!

Jebel Ali power and desal' produces over 2000 MW and 'can' produce up tp 150 Mil' Imp' Gallons of water a day. Update/improvement is estimated at 3 Bill' 

US dollars.

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by overherebc

No mention in the article of what fuel would be used in the desalination plants. Middle East have an abundance of natural gas. Most likely the hot air captured from these politicians would drive the evaporators.

It is an ongoing expensive option.

Should be looking at catchment, pipes & pumping.

Much cheaper in the end especially as will have to be fossil fuel fired