New power line to resolve power shortage in Thai South

[webfact]

New power line to resolve power shortage in South
By English News

BANGKOK, July 10 - In an attempt to boost the country's power security, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) plans to build a high-voltage transmission line to the southern region to resolve the inadequate power supply and distribution problem that plunged the region into darkness recently.

The Bt60 billion investment plan, if approved by the agency's board of directors, will see the construction of a 500 kilovolt transmission line from Prachuap Khiri Khan's Bang Saphan district to Surat Thani and Phuket, according to EGAT governor Sutat Patmasiriwat.

The project, scheduled to be completed in 2019, will bolster energy security in the southern region where power demand outstrips local supply and infrastructure, he said.

Regarding the planned construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Krabi, a public hearing is being held to gauge local residents' opinions. Meanwhile, a power plant in Khanom district of Nakhon Si Thammarat built by EGCO, a listed company in the Thai bourse, could be functional to boost power supply in the region.

The entire southern region of 14 provinces plunged into darkness for several hours on May 21. The power outage was the result of several factors, including a lightning strike on a high-power transmission line and the malfunction of the emergency system.

Deputy permanent secretary for energy Kurujit Nakornthap said lightning hit the 500 kV transmission line at 17.26pm on May 21 at the same time that another 500 kV line was under maintenance.

He said the electricity demand in the South reached 2,200 megawatts while the five power stations in the region could only generate 1,600 megawatts in total. Some 430-480 megawatts of electricity from the central region was supplied to meet the demand.(MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-07-10

[ChrisY1]

Obviously a much needed project....but 5 years to build 500kms of HV line....given a year for design???

60B Thb.....something like $US300mill. per year spend.....either madness or another financial budget typo!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Aren't they, being good government bureaucrats, supposed to build these kinds of key infrastructure projects BEFORE the demand exceeds the supply?

And 5 more years, at least, before the project is completed?

Maybe they're thinking the folks there will have more pressing problems than whether the lights stay on or not?

[lee b]

back to candles

[OzMick]

It would seem more logical to invest the money in generating plant in the south rather than a 3rd transmission line.

[Bagwan]

Obviously a much needed project....but 5 years to build 500kms of HV line....given a year for design???

60B Thb.....something like $US300mill. per year spend.....either madness or another financial budget typo!

But they have to make sure that the power lines do not pass through the foliage of 'holy' trees' which are the homes of spirits. Threading them through the upper reaches of other trees is perfectly acceptable.

[OzMick]

Obviously a much needed project....but 5 years to build 500kms of HV line....given a year for design???

60B Thb.....something like $US300mill. per year spend.....either madness or another financial budget typo!

But they have to make sure that the power lines do not pass through the foliage of 'holy' trees' which are the homes of spirits. Threading them through the upper reaches of other trees is perfectly acceptable.

I can assure you that 500kV lines will not pass through any trees. Minimum safe working distance is usually quoted at 10 or 11 feet for HV trained personnel, for others it is 25'.

When HV "reaches out to touch somebody" the results are usually very ugly.

[Soutpeel]

It would seem more logical to invest the money in generating plant in the south rather than a 3rd transmission line.

Granted I am not an electrical engineer, so maybe I dont understand but ..if the required power is 2200 MW and they can only suppply 1600 MW..what exactly are they going put down this transmission line to resolve power shortages in the south ?....spoiled rice ?

[Orac]

Obviously a much needed project....but 5 years to build 500kms of HV line....given a year for design???

60B Thb.....something like $US300mill. per year spend.....either madness or another financial budget typo!

Have you any idea how long it takes to plug that many 2m extension leads together.

[OzMick]

Granted I am not an electrical engineer, so maybe I dont understand but ..if the required power is 2200 MW and they can only suppply 1600 MW..what exactly are they going put down this transmission line to resolve power shortages in the south ?....spoiled rice ?

They have a demand of 2200 MW but can only generate 1600MW in the south, so the balance has to come via the HV cables. One line was out for maintenance, the other very close to peak load when it was struck by lightning, causing an over-current trip. 1600MW of generating capacity suddenly trying to supply a 2200MW load caused everything to trip, and it takes some time to restart each unit and bring back into service, being careful not to overload again as you reconnect load areas.

But this is unlikely to recur, except when a line is out of service. A 3rd line means there should almost never be less than 2 in service, but this relies on there being excess capacity in the north. OTOH if you had more generating capacity in the south, one line would be able to carry the deficit with a safety margin.

The problem is that the only fuel available down here is lignite (AFAIK), and lignite power stations are the last resort. LPG could be imported, or even black coal, but there would still be somebody complaining.

Edited July 10, 2013 by OzMick

[ChrisY1]

Granted I am not an electrical engineer, so maybe I dont understand but ..if the required power is 2200 MW and they can only suppply 1600 MW..what exactly are they going put down this transmission line to resolve power shortages in the south ?....spoiled rice ?

They have a demand of 2200 MW but can only generate 1600MW in the south, so the balance has to come via the HV cables. One line was out for maintenance, the other very close to peak load when it was struck by lightning, causing an over-current trip. 1600MW of generating capacity suddenly trying to supply a 2200MW load caused everything to trip, and it takes some time to restart each unit and bring back into service, being careful not to overload again as you reconnect load areas.

But this is unlikely to recur, except when a line is out of service. A 3rd line means there should almost never be less than 2 in service, but this relies on there being excess capacity in the north. OTOH if you had more generating capacity in the south, one line would be able to carry the deficit with a safety margin.

The problem is that the only fuel available down here is lignite (AFAIK), and lignite power stations are the last resort. LPG could be imported, or even black coal, but there would still be somebody complaining. ??

Someone complaining....Nahhhhhhhh....people here don't complain......I've only ever heard mai pen rai.....except from the Yellows and Reds ))))

[bangon04]

Obviously a much needed project....but 5 years to build 500kms of HV line....given a year for design???

60B Thb.....something like $US300mill. per year spend.....either madness or another financial budget typo!

But they have to make sure that the power lines do not pass through the foliage of 'holy' trees' which are the homes of spirits. Threading them through the upper reaches of other trees is perfectly acceptable. I can assure you that 500kV lines will not pass through any trees. Minimum safe working distance is usually quoted at 10 or 11 feet for HV trained personnel, for others it is 25'.

.

You are right of course. Walking around Bangkok I regularly see Health and Safety inspectors distributing information about minimum safe distances and other important things. You cannot help noticing that wherever they tie bundles of electricity cables to steel pedestrian bridges using wire twists, they always add a sign advising minimum safe distances for pedestrians in a heavy rainstorm when crossing the bridges.

Edited July 10, 2013 by bangon04

[rametindallas]

Aren't they, being good government bureaucrats, supposed to build these kinds of key infrastructure projects BEFORE the demand exceeds the supply?

And 5 more years, at least, before the project is completed?

Maybe they're thinking the folks there will have more pressing problems than whether the lights stay on or not?

The 'five years' is so they can be long-gone before the public finds out there is no money left to finish the project.

[rametindallas]

Granted I am not an electrical engineer, so maybe I dont understand but ..if the required power is 2200 MW and they can only suppply 1600 MW..what exactly are they going put down this transmission line to resolve power shortages in the south ?....spoiled rice ?

They have a demand of 2200 MW but can only generate 1600MW in the south, so the balance has to come via the HV cables. One line was out for maintenance, the other very close to peak load when it was struck by lightning, causing an over-current trip. 1600MW of generating capacity suddenly trying to supply a 2200MW load caused everything to trip, and it takes some time to restart each unit and bring back into service, being careful not to overload again as you reconnect load areas.

But this is unlikely to recur, except when a line is out of service. A 3rd line means there should almost never be less than 2 in service, but this relies on there being excess capacity in the north. OTOH if you had more generating capacity in the south, one line would be able to carry the deficit with a safety margin.

The problem is that the only fuel available down here is lignite (AFAIK), and lignite power stations are the last resort. LPG could be imported, or even black coal, but there would still be somebody complaining.

Good summation of the problem and the proposed fix and you are right about people complaining. There was a proposal to build a coal-fired plant in Chumpon a couple/few years ago and massive demonstrations against it.

[Robby nz]

Thought I read somewhere that they bought power from Malaysia, but given this topic that cant be right.

[Jay Sata]

Where ever they buy it or send it to you can bet the moment it rains the lights go out Robby.

I shudder to think how NZ or the UK would manage in winter if the Thai's ran the power network.

[OzMick]

Obviously a much needed project....but 5 years to build 500kms of HV line....given a year for design???

60B Thb.....something like $US300mill. per year spend.....either madness or another financial budget typo!

But they have to make sure that the power lines do not pass through the foliage of 'holy' trees' which are the homes of spirits. Threading them through the upper reaches of other trees is perfectly acceptable. I can assure you that 500kV lines will not pass through any trees. Minimum safe working distance is usually quoted at 10 or 11 feet for HV trained personnel, for others it is 25'.

.

You are right of course. Walking around Bangkok I regularly see Health and Safety inspectors distributing information about minimum safe distances and other important things. You cannot help noticing that wherever they tie bundles of electricity cables to steel pedestrian bridges using wire twists, they always add a sign advising minimum safe distances for pedestrians in a heavy rainstorm when crossing the bridges.

HV is not treated the same lax way, your mistakes kill you.

BTW Rainwater is very low in dissolved salts and so a very poor conductor. My first HV job was hooking a test unit (on a long fibre-glass pole) onto a live 500kV line. It was pouring rain, streams running down the pole and off my elbows. Still standing.

[OzMick]

Thought I read somewhere that they bought power from Malaysia, but given this topic that cant be right.

I read that they bought SOME from Malaysia, but it wasn't that big a percentage.