ID :
342752
Sun, 09/28/2014 - 07:50
Auther :

Thai energy ministry to push ahead with coal power plant in Krabi

BANGKOK, September 28 (TNA) - Thailand’s Energy Ministry will push ahead with its plan for an 800-megawatt clean coal power plant in the country’s southern province of Krabi. Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary Areepong Bhoocha-oom said that electricity generation in the South could not serve its growing demands, especially the demand of tourism and hotels that was increasing by as much as 10% annually. Areepong said the overall electricity generation of the South currently stood at about 2,400 megawatts while up to 2,600 megawatts was needed locally. As much as 16% of the power demands in the South depended on electricity transmitted from Central Thailand. He also said new power plants that would become the main sources of power needed imported coal because there was not enough natural gas. Under Thailand’s Power Development Plan, the 800-megawatt power plant in Krabi, which was undergoing an environmental health impact assessment (EHIA), would be completed and start generating electricity by 2019. In related updates, on Friday (Sept. 26) members of NGOs and people of Krabi asked the Administrative Court to scrap a project to build the Ban Khlong Rua port that was designed to receive coal for the Krabi power plant. The complainants said the area designated for the port construction was a swamp area protected by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand claimed however that the project had undergone an environmental assessment and would be properly constructed to meet local demands and be environmentally friendly. (TNA)

X