FTI will cut power use by nearly 400 megawatts

BANGKOK, March 6 (TNA) - Members the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) have agreed to cut their power use during a disruption of Myanmar gas supply to Thailand from April 5-14, 2013. FTI Chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol announced the resolution on Wednesday, acknowledging that 61 member factories in 13 Thai industries have agreed to either postpone or reduce their production, which will, thus cut their power use by 378 megawatts altogether during the 10-day period. According to the FTI chair, the highest power reduction will happen in the Thai steel industry, followed by that of Siam Cement Group (SCG), which will reduce its power consumption by about 100 megawatts. The FTI chief said he expects more factories to follow suit, suggesting, however, that energy-saving campaigns be carried on, together with public relations on reliance on many kinds of fuel, rather than one, although there should not be a blackout, as pledged by Thai power agencies, during Myanmar's gas supply disruption, noting that natural gas serves as much as 70 per cent of domestic demand for power production currently. (TNA)