PTT told to take measures to improve pipeline efficiency
Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has instructed PTT to acquire an additional stake in Thai Petroleum Pipeline Co (Thappline) to increase its shareholding in the company to the controlling level, up from the present 33.19 per cent.
This will enable PTT to have the authority to manage Thappline pipelines much more effectively.
He added that if PTT failed to do so, the ministry would allow it to invest Bt15 billion in installing pipelines to deliver oil to the North and Northeast regions. Though the required investment would be massive, it would enhance the country’s power security in the long run.
Pichai said the flood crisis would result in significant costs to the energy business, especially Bangchak Petroleum’s solar plant in Ayutthaya and other private solar-power operators in flooded provinces.
He added that he had prepared more than 10 measures to help the energy business after the flood recedes and they would be submitted for Cabinet consideration soon.
Pichai said the government had ordered 140 pumps from China worth Bt10 million to drain flooded industrial zones. They can handle a combined 500 cubic metres per hour. The pumps are expected to reach Thailand within 30 days.
The ministry has also considered reducing the burden on the industrial sector for subsidising low-income consumers’ electricity costs. It may reduce the units of electricity people can use free of charge to between 50 and 60 per month from the present 90 units.
Somnuek Bamrungsalee, deputy director-general of the Energy Business Department, said the ministry had prepared measures to prevent shortages of jet fuel for airliners. If Thappline’s jet-fuel depot in Lam Luk Ka, Pathum Thani, is flooded, trucks will be able to pick up the fuel in Bangkok from Bangchak’s depot in Phra Khanong or those of Shell and Chevron in Klong Toei for distribution to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Direk Lawansiri, chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission, said it had devised two measures to help flood victims. For household electricity users, it will maintain the present tariff adjustment rate for another eight months. It might also consider extending the schedule under which industries have to pay their electricity bills by six months. This measure might be focused on those with no flood insurance.
The regulator has divided the affected industrial operators into small, medium-sized and large businesses and will seek appropriate measures to help them.
