Malls ready for power shortage

Tesco Lotus communications director Salinla Seehaphan said the retail giant had already been successful in reducing energy consumption and would continue to do so, particularly this month when the country’s electricity use will be high. 

She said that since Monday, the company had been reducing lighting in its large stores by about 50 per cent from 8am to 5pm, and would continue to do so until April 14.

Kudatara Nagaviroj, director of corporate affairs for Big C Supercenter, said saving energy had always been a priority for the company. In the past few years, Big C has implemented projects and measures to reduce energy use while maintaining customer convenience and safety. 

During this month’s predicted energy shortage, Big C will implement additional energy-saving measures such as using a computerised to adjust air-conditioning fan speed in relation to the number of customers in the store, dimming or turning off exterior and interior lighting in areas where customers’ and employees’ safety or shopping convenience is not affected, setting elevated walkways to energy-saving mode when no customer is passing through, shutting down computer screens and office lighting at headquarters and back offices when not in use, and encouraging employees to use the stairs and reduce the use of elevators. 

“The [power shortage] is in a way an opportunity for us to explore how we can save energy more than what we have already done. We have been receiving good cooperation from customers and employees and will continue to work on saving as much energy as we can,” Kudatara said.

Prasert Sriuranpong, executive director at Siam Retail Development, operator of Fashion Island shopping complex on Ram Indra-Min Buri Road, announced that the retail complex would reduce its service hours from April 5-14 by two hours a day, from between 10am and 10pm daily to between 11am and 9pm. 

Naris Cheyklin, senior executive vice president for finance, accounting and risk management of Central Pattana, said it had launched an energy-saving campaign called “CPN Dress Down Days”. Employees at its 10 shopping centres in Greater Bangkok as well as customers will be encouraged to dress in such a way to cope with the rise in air-conditioning temperature from 25 degrees Celsius to 26 during the period. Moreover, employees and customers are encouraged to ride bicycles and carpool.

Pimpaka Wanglee, chief executive officer of Rangsit Plaza, operator of Future Park shopping complex, said the company would turn off non-necessary lamps at its office during lunchtime between noon and 1pm, and from 7pm onwards. It will increase the temperature at its office from 25 to between 26 and 27. She said the company would also reduce the lighting in its parking lot after midnight by 30 per cent.

Many manufacturing plants have emphasised their energy-saving procedures to avoid any impact on their production during the electricity shortage.

Jane Namchaisiri, vice chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said it had called on its members for cooperation in reducing their electricity use on April 5 by a total of 800 megawatts, higher than the 500MW reduction previously projected by the FTI. 

“We do not think there will be any critical problems regarding the electricity supply or impacts on enterprises as they have known about the shortage for a month, giving them enough time to make preparations,” he said.