The Nation
December 13, 2004

Hydro-power plants and coal-power plants feature predominantly in the Energy Ministry’s new development plan, which foresees the construction of 18 new plants with a combined capacity of 13,230 megawatts between 2011 and 2015.

Nokhun Sithiphong, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, said the plan had been adjusted to take into account a revised projection for average economic growth of 5-6 per cent per year.

The Energy Ministry will invite independent power producers to invest in the new power plants. Recycling power plants, which will provide at least 5 per cent of the total targeted capacity, will also be among the 18 plants commissioned to cope with the expected increase in demand for power between 2011 and 2015.

“We expect to open the bidding some time in the middle of next year. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and the independent power producers should compete against each other for the projects,” Nokhun said.

“We would like to start off with hydro-power projects because they are the cheapest.” One of the potential hydro-power projects includes the 5,000-megawatt Tha Sang project on the Salawin River in Burma. Another project is planned in Laos.

Nokhun said the Energy Ministry will not emphasise natural-gas power plants in the plan because natural-gas power plants already make up about 70 per cent of the total number in Thailand.