Egat: a new power plant in Krabi is needed to cope with increasing power demand

KRABI: -- The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) stressed the need for another power plant in Krabi with production capacity of 800 megawatts to cope with steadily increasing power demand in southern provinces.

Mr Worapote Inthong, director of Egat’s southern operations, said Friday that Egat’s current electricity generation capacity for southern provinces now stand at 2,889 megawatts while power consumption was estimated at 2,500 megawatts.

However, power consumption in Andaman coastal provinces such as Krabi and Phang-nga is increasing at a rate of 4.5 percent per annum while Phuket’s consumption rate is growing at 7.7 percent. Hence, the need for more power supply, said Mr Worapote.

He disclosed that three public hearings were held about the power plant in Krabi and each time there was a protest from opponents to the project. However, he said Egat had been trying to clarify to the people about the need for more power supply and how new technology can deal with pollution problem.

To deal with the problem stemmed from opposition from some groups of people, the government has set up a tri-party panel to work out a solution and to allay fears of possible pollution from the power plant.

To cope with the expansion of tourism business in the Andaman coastal provinces, Mr Worapote said that there must be another power plant in the next three years.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/egat-a-new-power-plant-in-krabi-is-needed-to-cope-with-increasing-power-demand

-- Thai PBS 2015-10-09

In the next three years?Not much time,go for a gas fired off the shelf combined cycle which would take about 18 months once plans are drawn up.Better get moving though!!

This time Egat has failed to mention, they are planning a coal fired power plant, which causes great pollution in the area, not only from the plant itself, but also from shipping the coal to the plant through national parkland. Nobody contest the need for another plant, but not a coal fired power plant. There are environmental friendly production facilities available. Although more expensive, they have to be considered in first place.