Electricity agencies scramble to avert April blackouts, increase reserves
Watchara Pussayanawin
Watcharapong Thongrung
Tinnakorn Chaowachuen
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is seeking cooperation from all parties in reducing power consumption to avoid a shortage in April while it attempts to shore up its reserve power supply by 291 megawatts.

Its reserve is currently low because of the failure of two independent power plants (IPPs) to feed electricity to the system on schedule this year.

Egat deputy governor Thana Puttirungsri said the authority could secure additional reserve power of 291MW, of which 200MW would be purchased from Malaysia. It has also talked with four cement plants using an interruptible rate, which allows Egat to ask them to suspend operations. These are two Siam City Cement plants, one Thai Asahi, and one TPI Polene, for a total of 56MW. The power plants of Ratchaburi Power and Mitr Phol will also jointly boost their electricity capacity by 35MW.

Egat's power-generating capacity is normally 33,056MW, but that will be downgraded by 1,890MW as several power plants will not be able to generate electricity at full capacity, leaving only about 27,067MW for April 5, the first full day of a temporary gas-supply cut-off planned by Myanmar.

Peak power usage this year is projected at 26,300MW, leaving a "spinning reserve" of only 767MW, plus the additional 291MW Egat was able to secure, for a total reserve of about 1,058MW. That is still short of the required reserve of about 1,200MW.

Egat estimates that 86 million litres of bunker oil and 47 million litres of diesel fuel will be needed to generate electricity during the supply disruption from Myanmar's Yadana field, currently scheduled from April 5-21. If the disruption is extended by another one week, it would have to use 150 million litres of bunker oil and 80 million litres of diesel.

The Provincial Electricity Authority is preparing to launch several measures to prevent a power shortage in April. PEA governor Namchai Lorwattanatrakul said these included a campaign to get the industrial sector to avoid using electricity between 1pm and 7pm from April 5-13, another to get people to save energy in their homes and offices, and the preparation of 50 mobile generators with capacity of between 200 kilowatts an 1MW to station at key locations such as hospitals.

The country has never had an experience quite like this before. Previously, a gas pipeline from Myanmar was closed for repairs after being accidentally hit, but in the end there was no risk of a shortage. This was because the country had an electricity reserve of at least 10 per cent, following the global standard at the time. Now, however, its reserve is just 2 per cent.

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has asked its members nationwide to adjust their production schedules in April to help the government save energy. It also asked the major steel producers to reschedule their machinery maintenance dates to April 5, which will help save a lot of power.

FTI vice chairman Chen Namchaisiri said the members were required to advise the federation by next Thursday how much electricity they could save, and that information would be forwarded to the Energy Ministry. He noted that the industries had a full month to implement these plans.


-- The Nation 2013-02-23

Oh god. more numbers. I'm checking back in a week or two after they have had time to get their numbers straight. I know, wishful thinking, but i'm a 'glass is half full' kinda guy

Good time to own generators for hire as this scare mongering will boost rentals.

"Egat's power-generating capacity is normally 33,056MW, but that will be downgraded by 1,890MW as several power plants will not be able to generate electricity at full capacity, leaving only about 27,067MW...... " I don't quite follow the maths here!

This explains things a bit better. Previous articles on this looming supply crunch seemed to indicate that it would be caused solely by the interruption of gas supply from Myanmar.

Regards the math; at least it is closer to the mark then a previous article claiming that the total power lost would be 97%.

The bottom line is that the "haves" will have power and the "have nots" won't. Since I live in "have not" land, I guess that it's time to buy a generator and stock up on fuel. Once the power's off the gas pumps won't work either! Or, I could just grin and bear it as in the past!

Oh god. more numbers. I'm checking back in a week or two after they have had time to get their numbers straight. I know, wishful thinking, but i'm a 'glass is half full' kinda guy

I hear ya. Sort of "if you can't dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bullshlt".

Or something like that...

I believe this is where the thousand boats on the river plan will come in handy. Just use water power for the propellers to generate electricity. Of course will have to sting a 1000 electric wires haphazardly from the boats to the shore but those will blend right in all the other wires that look like that in the city.

"Egat's power-generating capacity is normally 33,056MW, but that will be downgraded by 1,890MW as several power plants will not be able to generate electricity at full capacity, leaving only about 27,067MW...... " I don't quite follow the maths here!

(33,056 - 27,067) / 1,890 = 3.2 plants not able to operate at full capacity. Guess 3 plants same same as several.

"Egat's power-generating capacity is normally 33,056MW, but that will be downgraded by 1,890MW as several power plants will not be able to generate electricity at full capacity, leaving only about 27,067MW...... " I don't quite follow the maths here!

(33,056 - 27,067) / 1,890 = 3.2 plants not able to operate at full capacity. Guess 3 plants same same as several.

I think this is the keyword

Its reserve is currently low because of the failure of two independent power plants (IPPs) to feed electricity to the system on schedule this year.

So whats the bottom line here? Is everyone for example living in the country or on the islands screwed for power for the month of april?

How very third world

As usually in this country ,

when shit's about to hit the fan ,

its going to be worse then they tell you .

1. to save face

2. to save money for them selves.

3. they don't give a shit about the country.

Electricity is the most important thing there is in any country,

and they only figured this out 2 months prior.

And the next thing they will do is up the price of electricity.

Confucius say PPPPPP ( Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance )

If they carry on like this, they'll end up like California.

I hope all the hubs don't stop working.

Perhaps someone might order extra generators from South Korea, they could put them on the same ship, that's bringing those pumps to help with the floods ?

• Genset serviced, battery charged and test run - Check
• Fuel tank filled and fuel reserves available for 1 week of operation - Check
• Wifey instructed in how to start the genset - Check (ish)

OK, we're good to go, bring on the power cuts!

Huston we have a problem.

Me "Get some candles in stock"

Her "Why what happen?"

This despite her telling me when it was on the news.

Huston we have a problem.

Me "Get some candles in stock"

Her "Why what happen?"

This despite her telling me when it was on the news.

I didn't know my old GF had a twin sister

• Genset serviced, battery charged and test run - Check
• Fuel tank filled and fuel reserves available for 1 week of operation - Check
• Wifey instructed in how to start the genset - Check (ish)

OK, we're good to go, bring on the power cuts!

Crossy, you spoil it for everybody. Now that you are so well prepared, nothing will happen.

• Genset serviced, battery charged and test run - Check
• Fuel tank filled and fuel reserves available for 1 week of operation - Check
• Wifey instructed in how to start the genset - Check (ish)

OK, we're good to go, bring on the power cuts!

How to hook something like that into the main power ? Just curious about it and how much fuel would you need ?

• Genset serviced, battery charged and test run - Check
• Fuel tank filled and fuel reserves available for 1 week of operation - Check
• Wifey instructed in how to start the genset - Check (ish)

OK, we're good to go, bring on the power cuts!

Better standby fuel for 6 weeks like the no flooding here

• Genset serviced, battery charged and test run - Check
• Fuel tank filled and fuel reserves available for 1 week of operation - Check
• Wifey instructed in how to start the genset - Check (ish)

OK, we're good to go, bring on the power cuts!

How to hook something like that into the main power ? Just curious about it and how much fuel would you need ?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/587455-generators/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/542125-make-yourself-a-cheap-and-safe-generator-transfer-switch/

We ran our little (5 kVA) Kwaithong for several months during the flooding, it was using about 10 litres per day IIRC.

An off topic post has been removed.