New panel to oversee smart grid plan

The subcommittee will be chaired by the director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office. Members will include representatives from the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department, the Energy Regulatory Commission, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Metropolitan Electricity Authority and Provincial Electricity Authority, the ministries of Industry and ICT, the Federation of Thai Industries, and three outside experts.
The subcommittee is in charge of chalking out the draft master plan for Smart Grid development, in line with the national power development plan. Progress of the study would be periodically reported to the Energy Policy Administration Committee.
A smart grid is a digitally enabled electrical grid that gathers, distributes, and acts on information about the behaviour of all participants (suppliers and consumers). It will be connected to alternative energy sources and others and ensure efficient power distribution through smart meters. The smart grid, it is believed, will enhance Thailand’s power security.
Regarding the Bt180-million aid to help fuel-station operators restore flooded stations, Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said today that the financing provided by the Oil Fund will be used to subsidise operators’ interest payments to SME Bank. These operators have borrowed a total of Bt600 million from the bank. The rate subsidy is fixed at 5 per cent per annum, for a period of six years. In that period, the station operators have to pay only 3 per cent per annum.
The ministry said many of the 1,200 fuel-oil stations, LNG stations and LNG refilling stations have been affected by floods, aside from about 900 trucks. The Energy Business Department estimated that the recovery expense would reach Bt600 million.
Fuel-station operators can apply for financial assistance during December and up to March 2012.