Gunkul: windfarm projects outside Sor Por Kor land
GUNKUL ENGINEERING yesterday clarified that its windfarm projects do not intrude into Sor Por Kor land and insisted its shareholders should not lose confidence in its business operations.
The Agriculture and eratives Ministry had earlier ordered the cancellation of windfarm projects on Sor Por Kor land in Nakhon Ratchasima and Chayaphum.
Sopacha Dhumrongpiyawut, executive chairman at Gunkul, said the company’s three windfarm projects in Nakhon Ratchasima with combined power generation capacity of 170 megawatts are mostly on land with title deeds and rented properties - not Sor Por Ko land.
The Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) announced last week that officials were looking into the details of every contract for Sor Por Kor land leased to companies for windfarm projects in the two provinces, after the Nakhon Ratchasima Administrative Court ruled that the Chaiyaphum land reform committee's decision to lease the land to Thep Sathit Wind Farm Co was unlawful and revoked it.
In March 2016, Wind Energy Development Co Ltd, in which Gunkul holds a 99 per cent stake, began commercial operations for Subplu Wind Farm Project 1 and Subplu Wind Farm Project 2, with power generation capacity of 10 megawatts, for the Provincial Electricity Authority. In November 2016, the company began operations for the Wayu Wind Farm, with 50-megawatt capacity, for the Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand.
“Based on the facts in the case, we would lie our shareholders to have confidence in our business operations, which have been run mostly on title deed land and rental areas without project development on Sor Por Kor areas. Such matters have not affected or created uncertainties for future projects. The company continues to expand its businesses as planned,” Sopacha said.
The company is seeking investment in new power plants – for solar and wind - in Thailand and abroad, she said.
