Jun 3 - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Yuthana Praiwan Bangkok Post, Thailand

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) plans to build a new coal-fired power plant at Tap Sakae in Prachuap Khiri Khan as part of its policy to reduce dependence on natural gas.

The government's long-term plan is to use coal and hydropower in electricity production over natural gas, which currently accounts for 70 percent of fuel, caretaker energy minister Viset Choopiban said yesterday.

The amount of coal and hydropower used in electricity production will increase to 25 percent over the next 10 years from 16 percent, he said at the Energy Symposium 2006, hosted by the Federation of Thai Industries.

Egat has been ordered to conduct a feasibility study about the construction of a new coal-fired power plant at Tap Sakae, where 20 rai of land have already been secured.

Egat had planned to use coal imported from Australia to power the plant.

The government many years ago awarded concessions to two private developers to build two coal-fired power stations at Bo Nok and Hin Krut in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

However, protests from local villagers and conservationist groups forced both projects to switch to using natural gas and relocate their plants.

According to Mr Viset, new technology was now available to solve environmental problems, so it should be possible to promote better understanding of the scheme.

"If people have positive attitudes toward the power plant, history will not repeat itself, as at Bo Nok and Hin Krut," Mr Viset said.

The coal-fired power plants that are currently operated by Egat and the private sector can generate 3,200 megawatts of electricity, and a new plant operated by BLCP would produce another 1,400 MW by 2007.

Mr Viset said he would also push state agencies toward buying additional electricity from Laos and Burma.

Laos recently said that it was ready to export 5,000 MW of electricity to Thailand.

Two hydro power plants in Laos are under construction -- Nam Thuen 2, with a capacity of 920 MW, and Nam Ngum 2, with a capacity of 615 MW. Most of the power output from both plants will be sold to Thailand.

In Burma, a feasibility study is under way to develop the massive Hutgyi hydro power dam on the Salween River.

Burma is said to have the capacity to generate 13,600 MW of electricity from its hydropower plants on several rivers in the country.

The electricity supply in Burma is insufficient to meet rising demand because there has been a lack new power plants due to funding constraints.

Burma has allowed foreigners to seek concessions to generate electricity.