Egco ready to fill power supply gap, if Krabi coal plant fails
Phuket Gazette


There is strong opposition to the coal power plant in Krabi. Photo: Gazette file

KRABI: -- Electricity Generating (Egco) is well positioned to take part in the bidding for new power plants if the government's coal-fired power projects fail to get off the ground, says its outgoing president.

Sahust Pratuknukul said that if the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) was unable to proceed with its Krabi and Thepha coal-fired projects in the South, Egco had power plants that could easily expand to fill the supply gap. These include the BLCP coal-fired power station in Rayong, in which Egco has a 50-per-cent stake, and its wholly owned Rayong and Khanom gas-fired plants.

Egat's coal-fired power projects have faced strong protests from non-governmental organizations and environmentalists.

Mr Sahust, who will retire next week, said Egco's future growth had been assured by seven new power projects it will construct and develop over the next five years. Thanks to the nature of its industry with power purchase contracts signed for long-term periods, Egco has little market risk, even with the current economic fluctuations.

Mr Sahust said his successor, Chanin Chaonirattisai, only had to make sure these seven committed projects come up as planned.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Egco-ready-fill-power-supply-gap-Krabi/62039?desktopversion

-- Phuket Gazette 2015-09-28

If Egco had power plants that could easily expand to fill the supply gap, then why the new power plants?

Just put the coal plant somewhere else. I'm not for it, but seems the best solution.