Government plans to build four units by 2010
Each facility to use natural gas for fuel
Bangkok Post, 26 January 2004
Yuthana Praiwan
The government is planning to invest US$1.4 billion (57.7 billion baht) to construct four new power units to meet expected rising electricity demand.
The proposed new facilities, each with a capacity of 700 Megawatts, will be built in Songkhla, North Bangkok , South Bangkok and Bang Pakong in Chachoengsao at a cost of $350 million and use natural gas as their main fuel. The plan will soon be submitted to the cabinet for approval.
Udon Khunvichai, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's deputy governor for power plant development, said power demand between 2007 and 2015 was projected to increase to 20,000 MW or by about 2,200 MW a year on average.
Construction of the first plant in Songkhla will start in 2005 and is scheduled to be completed in 2007. The two plants in Bangkok will be completed in 2009 while the one in Bang Pakong will be finished in 2010.
All four facilities will use about 400 million cubic feet per day of natural gas as fuel for electricity production and support PTT Plc's plan to develop the third route of the gas pipeline system scheduled for completion in 2006.
Egat's board has already approved the new power plant projects under a five-year power development plan set in 2003.
Mr. Udon said Egat also planned to expand its business in neighbouring countries and the Middle East through the construction of power plants.
Recently, Egat had been in talks with authorities in Cambodia to build an hydroelectric dam at Stung Nam, from which 100-200 MW of electricity could be produced.
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