Power: Back-up plan in place
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The Energy Ministry has devised a back-up plan in case the North Bangkok Power Plant in Nonthaburi is knocked out by floods.
Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said yesterday that the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) would ask Electricity Generating Plc to prepare its idled Rayong power plant to start supplying electricity to the grid if needed.
Pichai had chaired a meeting with Egat, the energy regulator and state agencies on the power supply.
The 700-megawatt North Bangkok plant is in Bang Kruay, next to the swollen Chao Phraya River.
The 300MW Rayong plant is part of the country’s spinning power reserve totalling 1.8 gigawatts.
If the North Bangkok plant is inundated, the country’s power reserve will drop to 1.2GW. But this would not affect people as electricity consumption has fallen to 1GW because of the flooding, which has caused many factories to shut down.
Pichai ordered Egat to build a permanent dyke around the North Bangkok plant as a long-term measure. PTT is also solving the problem of flooded natural-gas-for-vehicles stations in Pathum Thani. PTT has given its assurance that there is no shortage of NGV or other fuel, Pichai said.
Four power plants, with total capacity of 1.21GW, have been taken out of service by the flood.
