Egat Seeks A New Site For Its Coal-fired Power Plant

[Jai Dee]

EGAT seeks a new site for its coal-fired power plant

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is looking for a site in a coastal province for its new coal-fired power plant.

EGAT Governor Kraisee Kannasutr (ไกรสีห์ กรรณสูตร) said the project site might be in Rayong or Prachuap Khiri Khan or Chumphon or Surat Thani to facilitate transport of imported coal to the plant.

Mr. Kraisee said EGAT does not have financial problems and so has already had budget for the construction of the new power plant.

He said demand for electricity between 2010 and 2015 was expected to reduce from an initial estimate of 13,000 megawatts to 9,000 megawatts. That adjustment has been used in planning which kind of fuel each new independent power producer (IPP) will use in producing electricity during that period.

The EGAT governor said about 20% of IPPs may use hydropower, 30%-50% may use coal and the rest may use natural gas.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 01 August 2006

[Mid]

is this the new site ?

Egat threatens to move coal plants to Laos

Thursday, October 18, 2007

YUTHANA PRAIWAN

Egat plans to develop coal-fired power plants in neighbouring countries to serve Thailand's power

snip

A coal-fired power plant would require a capital investment of around 2.8 billion baht for construction. Egat is negotiating with Banpu Plc, Thailand's largest coal miner, to acquire a stake in the coal-fired Hongsa Lignite plant in Laos, with an aim to hold at least a 25% stake.

Egat would acquire the stake through its subsidiary, which has yet to decide whether it would fall under Ratchaburi Holding Plc or Egat International Co.

Hongsa is located in northern Laos, with a total capacity of 1,800 MW _ most would be bought by Thailand starting in 2015.

Egat plans to sign a power purchasing agreement (PPA) with hydropower operators and the Laotian government during this government's mandate. The four projects are Nam Ngiep I (260 MW), Nam Ngum III (460 MW), Nam Theun I (523 MW) and Theun-Hinboun, which is to expand by 280 MW. The projects would be in full operation by 2012-14. Egat is preparing a public relations offensive to attract support for its electricity projects.

Bangkok Post

[astral]

Moving a coal fired plant to another country is a "Threat"................

To the Laos people, perhaps.

[samran]

thailand is lucky in the sense that it has access to natural gas reserves. A relatively clean source of power. Unfortunately, by about 2012 supply isn't going to be able to keep up with demand, so there is need for diversification.

Coal is one option, and obviously, thailand has to buy hydro from Laos. But it still isn't going to be enough.

The Coal fired plants in Thailand are politically sensitive. NIMBY'ism to the extreme. They don't want the plants here in Thailand, but will happily buy coal powered electricity from over the border in Laos.

Funny world we live in.