Xayaburi Hydro Project On Schedule, Thai Energy Ministry Says

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ELECTRICITY

Xayaburi hydro project on schedule, Energy Ministry says

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

File photo of a hydropower in Laos

BANGKOK: -- The Xayaburi hydropower project is on schedule to begin supplying electricity in 2019, as the Laotian government has given no written notice of its cancellation or postponement, said Norkun Sitthiphong, permanent secretary of the Thai Energy Ministry.

The Xayaburi hydropower project is on schedule to begin supplying electricity in 2019, as the Laotian government has given no written notice of its cancellation or postponement, said Norkun Sitthiphong, permanent secretary of the Thai Energy Ministry.

He confirmed this after confusing reports in the past few months over the progress of the project.

Laos said it would update neighbouring countries, which are concerned about environmental impacts along the Mekong River, on the progress of the project and heed their advice. But Vietnamese officials said they had not received any such information.

On August 7, conservationists and residents from eight Thai provinces along the Mekong River lodged a petition with the Administrative Court against the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), the Energy Ministry and the Cabinet over their involvement with the Xayaburi dam. Much of the 1,285 megawatts of power from the US$3.8billion (Bt127billion) project will be sold to Thailand, as part of the country's revised Power Development Plan (PDP 2010).

Norkun said yesterday that the ministry had not been notified in writing by the Laotian government of cancellation or postponement of the project. He also expressed confidence that the power feed would begin on schedule, around October 2019.

"The Xayaburi power plant plays a crucial role in Thailand's power development. Aside from reasonable prices, hydropower also helps Thailand reduce its dependence on natural gas for power generation," he said.

He said the power purchase agreement signed by Egat and the developer had been approved by the Mekong River Commission (MRC), as required by the National Energy Policy Council. It was also screened by the Office of the AttorneyGeneral and disclosed to the public. He expects the project developer to clear up any further doubts.

The project is being developed by Xayaburi Power, which is 50 per cent owned by Ch Karnchang, 12.5 per cent by Electricity Generating (Egco Group), 25 per cent by Natee Synergy, 7 per cent by Bangkok Expressway, and 5 per cent by PT Construction and Irrigation. Natee Synergy is a subsidiary owned by PTT International. Ch Karnchang on April 17 signed a $2.4billion contract with Xayaburi Power.

Sahust Pratuknukul, president of Egco Group, said construction of the project had kicked off and his company had put in its investment. However, the construction work so far has focused on inland infrastructure such as roads, not yet reaching the Mekong River.

He said he was confident that the project would be ready for commercial operation in 2019 and that Xayaburi Power could clear up any points of concern.

Under the 29year power purchase contract, Egat will pay a fixed price for electricity. The average price of Bt2.16 per kilowatthour throughout the period at the border point of sale is lower than the Bt2.90 per kilowatthour for power from a coalfired plant and Bt4.30 from a gasfired plant.

On advice from the MRC, the Laotian government in May decided to suspend construction on the Mekong but allowed inland work.

-- The Nation 2012-08-25

[Reasonableman]

Construction suspended... On schedule... Ok, got it.

[JanKlaasen]

Construction suspended... On schedule... Ok, got it.

Maybe they were afraid to get too much ahead of schedule Edited August 25, 2012 by JanKlaasen

[dcutman]

Its a bit confusing when the Lao govt say construction is suspended until further studies. Yet they do no officially tell the contractor to stop.

No doubt it will turn out to be a total ecological disaster, witch most dams are. The Thai Government is blinded be cheap electricity with no regard to their own people's future need for food, that this river has delivered for so long.

[Pib]

And it will remain on schedule until the current projected completion date of 2019; not until then will a new completion date be announced. In the early stages of a long range project it's so easy to say it's on schedule. By the way, our sun's red giant stage a couple billion years from now is still on schedule.

[Woodcaulk]

Soon after completion the only fish that will survive will be snakeheads.

[Bluespunk]

Maybe this is just another "White lie".

[DeepInTheForest]

Money into the usual pockets, I am sure...

[Skywalker69]

Soon after completion the only fish that will survive will be snakeheads.

I fear you might be right.

[BillyBobThai]

Lets hope that Laos builds their dam to a higher quality than China did on the bridges that have fallen recently. Can you imagine what will happen when a dam such as this fails??

[OzMick]

While the politicians talk, the engineers build - it is in their job descriptions. And while the greenies whine and moan futilely about stopping the dam, they could be making suggestions about to minimise the ecological damage - much easier to implement during construction than after.

In a world with increasing demand for energy and declining fossil fuel stocks, there will be many more dams built to supply the cleanest, most efficient and highest value solar sourced energy.

[dcutman]

While the politicians talk, the engineers build - it is in their job descriptions. And while the greenies whine and moan futilely about stopping the dam, they could be making suggestions about to minimise the ecological damage - much easier to implement during construction than after.

In a world with increasing demand for energy and declining fossil fuel stocks, there will be many more dams built to supply the cleanest, most efficient and highest value solar sourced energy.

Hydro electric is a wonderful thing. In many cases it does become a ecological disaster, as this dam and all the planned dams above this one. I am not sure how many people depend on the Mekong and its tributaries for a food source and irrigation, from what I read, some say it is many hundreds of thousands of people.

Like I said hydro electric is a wonderful thing, but I think it prudent to do proper studies and have a plan in place for all those that will be negatively affected. I am pretty sure there is no plan for anything, but generating power.