Thai PM urges public to save energy

BANGKOK, April 7 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has urged the public to save energy this month, when power demand normally peaks and Myanmar cuts its natural gas supply to Thailand for yearly maintenance. Speaking during an event to promote energy saving at Bangkok's Government House on Tuesday morning, organized by the Ministry of Energy and joined by artists, actors and actresses, the Thai prime minister asked all people to help conserve energy to reduce the country's reliance on energy imports. Earlier, the State-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) assessed that domestic power consumption should reach its peak at approximately 27,500 megawatts this month due to high temperatures in the summer. EGAT reported that Myanmar will reduce natural gas supply to Thailand from its two gas fields for annual maintenance. EGAT said Myanmar's Yadana gas field will reduce daily gas supply to Thailand from April 10 -19 by about 980 million cubic feet/day, while Zawtika M9 gas field will reduce natural gas supply from 980 million cubic feet/day to 420 million cubic feet/day from April 20-27. According to EGAT, Myanmar's cut in natural gas supply during the period is likely to affect six Thai electricity generating plants, all locating in the western side of the country. EGAT affirmed, however, that it has prepared three measures to cope with the planned cut in natural gas supply from Myanmar, including cooperation between EGAT and another plant in producing electricity, cooperation with hydro-powered electricity plant in Laos in buying more electricity from the Lao side and use more bunker and diesel oil for its power production in substitution of the Myanmar‘s natural gas. (TNA)