Thailand urged to use nuclear power and coal for power generation

BANGKOK, May 7 (TNA) - The International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested that Thailand study electricity generation with nuclear power and coal to meet the country's growing power demand. At the ASEAN Energy Outlook fair in Bangkok on Tuesday, visiting IEA specialist Fatih Birol urged Thailand to study nuclear and coal-fired power plants, recommending, however, that locations of nuclear power plants are important, as they need to be stood by water sources and on solid rock foundations. Birol projected that the consumption of coal should double Thailand's electricity demand to about 70,000 megawatts, acknowledging that new technologies can allay pollution concerns. The IEA chief also assessed that the global power demand should increase by 35 per cent over the next 20 years, with that of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) alone to rise by as much as 80 per cent, pointing out that ASEAN's use of nuclear power will save costs and relieve the problem of global warming. Meanwhile, Thai Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal revealed that a nuclear power plant with the generation capacity of 1,000 megawatts has already been included in the Thai government's new 20-year power development plan and his ministry will convince people of safe nuclear power generation, noting that the Thai government will manage suitable shares of energy consumption and campaigns for renewable energy and efficient energy consumption. (TNA)