Thailand Planning 3,200 MW of Coal-Fired Power and 5,000 MW of Laotian Imports

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Faced with national demand for electrical power growing at 4% to 5% per year and domestic fuel dependent 66% on natural gas feed, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is conducting feasibility studies on four new 800-megawatt (MW) coal-fired plants. The plan is to commission them for commercial operation by 2015 to meet demand with the additional 3,200 MW of power and then follow these with new nuclear-generating power in 2020-21.

The selection of sites for the coal-powered plants is crucial as there are strong public reservations and lobbies over the environmental impact of coal-fed power. EGAT’s governor, Kraisri Karnasuta, said the construction of the plants is scheduled to begin in early 2008 after the conclusion of environmental studies. The alternative is to see dependency on natural gas rise to 75% by 2012 as gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand dry up and high demand for LNG in East Asia drives prices up.

Kraisri said the plants would use state-of-the-art technology with increased project costs. He said the new plants would be ‘cleaner’ than the last-generation 1,400 MW coal-fired plant built at Rayong, which started operation this year. He also said the public would be ”widely informed” about zero-emission coal technology and the need for price balancing of power-generating fuels. If EGAT is able to back up proof on “zero emissions” from coal-fired plants to the public, it will have a stream of energy ministers from across the world beating a path to its door seeking revelation and relief.

Current with these plant construction plans, Thailand’s Minister of Energy Piyasvasti Amranand was closing a deal to purchase 5,000 MW of hydro-sourced power from neighboring country Laos through 2015, with the possibility of adding 2,000 MW more to the purchase. Laos already exports power to Thailand from a current hydropower capacity of 700 MW. In 2010 the $1.1 billion Nam Theun Dam will boost this to 1,800 MW for which EGAT will be the main customer. Laos is estimated to have hydropower potential of 20,000 MW.

Myanmar is also a possibility source for imported hydropower but that country’s plan to dam the Salween River is strongly opposed by environmentalist and human rights groups. Piyasvasti is strongest motivator for three or four nuclear power plants for Thailand by 2020.

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