Nuclear energy to be proposed

Three power plans for public hearing

POST REPORTERS

Coal-fired power plants are likely to be key sources of power generation during the next 15 years, while nuclear energy will be one of the alternatives proposed at a public hearing next week.

Next Wednesday, the Energy Ministry will propose three options for mapping power development over the next 15 years.

The ministry said the power development plan (PDP), to cover the period from 2007 to 2021, would focus on fostering small power producers (SPP) and very small power producers (VSPP) and diversifying the country's fuel sources, as Thailand now relies too much on natural gas.

PDP 2007 is based on a forecast for power demand growth of 5.95% per year from 2007 to 2011, 6% per year from 2012 to 2016, and 5.51% from 2017 to 2021.

Total designated new electricity capacity of Thailand over the next 15 years is 32,307 megawatts.

Under the cheapest plan, during the period Thailand's new power capacity would rely on coal-fired plants, which would supply up to 21,700 MW. Then power would be purchased from abroad at 5,177 MW, gas-fired plants would supply 3,500 MW, SPPs 1,700 MW and a gas-turbine project 230 MW.

Under the second, coal-fired combined plan, additional electricity capacity over the next 15 years would depend on gas-fired power projects with a capacity of 22,400 MW, followed by power purchases from abroad of 5,177 MW, coal-fired plants 2,800 MW, SPPs 1,700 MW and a gas-turbine project 230 MW.

Under a third nuclear power plan, coal-fired plants would still contribute new capacity of 17,500 MW, followed by power purchases from abroad of 5,177 MW. Also, under this plan, capacity of 5,000 MW from nuclear power generators would be included in the national grid. The first nuclear power generator would come online in 2020 with capacity of 2,000 MW.

Thailand currently has one small nuclear reactor for research purposes in Nakhon Nayok.

The third plan would also include capacity from gas-fired power plants of 3,500 MW and from SPPs of 1,700 MW.

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said that if no new coal-fired generators were developed during the period, some 90% of Thailand's power generation would rely on natural gas in the next 15 years, up from 70% currently, which is considered too much already.

The Energy Ministry thinks that high-performance nuclear power should be considered among the alternatives, despite security and safety concerns.

If the country came to a consensus to develop nuclear power plants, it would need about 10 years to prepare and another five years for construction, he added.

Bangkok Post
Friday February 02, 2007