A crisis to help sell coal power plants? | Bangkok Post: learning

About energy

Scheduled maintenance on Myanmar gas fields & energy shortfall in April known since last year, now used to sell coal plants that people don't want.

Scheduled maintenance on a gas platform like the one above is the reason for the energy disruption and natural gas shortfall and was already known last year.

Click button to listen to Manufactured Crisis download

ENERGY

Pongsak touts coal as solution to energy woes

Democrats say government knew of gas crisis last year
21 Feb 2013
Aekarach Sattaburuth and Amornrat Mahitirook

Thailand must consider coal-fired power plants or invest in energy production overseas to meet surging demand for electricity, the energy minister says.

The country needs to secure an additional 25,000 megawatts (MW) of power to meet rising demand, Pongsak Raktapongpaisarn said Thursday.

According to the Energy Policy and Planning Office, national power consumption stands at 31,500 MW a year.

The office expects that to more than double to 70,000 MW in 2030 based on average gross domestic product growth of 3.7 per cent.

Mr Pongsak said there is no choice but to build more power plants.

The Democrats have attacked the timing of the minister's comments, saying Mr Pongsak is exploiting a looming energy shortage to justify a push for unpopular policies.

Routine maintenance on a gas platform in Myanmar in April will lead to a drop in gas supplies to Thailand of 1.1 billion cubic feet per day, potentially creating a nationwide energy supply shortfall.

Democrat MP Alongkorn Ponlaboot said the ministry had known about the scheduled maintenance of Myanmar's Yadana gas field since last year.

He accused the minister of drumming up the disruption as an excuse to justify the construction of more power plants or to hike power costs.

But Mr Pongsak said the country depends on natural gas for 70 per cent of its electricity generation, which is risky.

"Few energy sources are cheaper than natural gas — nuclear, hydro or coal. The so-called soft, alternative fuels such as wind or solar energy have a high price tag of 10 baht per unit," Mr Pongsak said.

Relying on these sources will add to the public's power bills while eroding the competitiveness of the industrial sector.

He said the ministry is looking to build a coal-fired power plant in the resort province of Krabi but has run into opposition from locals.

He admitted the Mae Moh case had made it more difficult to diversify to coal as an alternative fuel source.

In that case, people affected by air pollution from the coal-fired power plant in Lampang province successfully sued the Industry Ministry and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) for failing to solve the problem.

"All agencies must speed up their attempts to make the public understand that coal-fired technology is a viable alternative to our current heavy reliance on natural gas," Mr Pongsak said Thursday.

The technology has become better and cleaner. If people are made to understand this, they will accept coal-fuelled power plants more easily.

He said the government also plans to invest in energy production overseas and to import more electricity from Myanmar and Laos.

The new imports would cut the ratio of gas dependence to 50 per cent of total energy generation.

Mr Pongsak said there is also room for the fuel adjustment tariff, or Ft charge, to be raised by another 48 satang per unit because Egat will have to switch its power plants to run on bunker oil and diesel instead of cheaper gas from Myanmar during the disruption period in April.

He said the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) would decide whether the higher cost will be passed on to consumers.

Former energy minister Piyasvasti Amranand, however, said the Myanmar gas disruption had been factored in when the ERC announced in December an increase in the Ft rate of 4.04 satang per unit of electricity for the January-April period.

The electricity price is now 3.76 baht per unit.

"The Myanmar gas disruption was known long beforehand. Indeed, the announcement for last year's Ft increase mentioned the delivery disruption as a factor for the hike," Mr Piyasvasti, who was energy ministry under the Surayud Chulanont government, said.

In its December Ft increase announcement, the ERC projected it would have to increase the use of bunker oil in electricity generation from 21 million litres in March to 60 million litres in April. 

That was tipped to increase fuel procurement costs from 453 million baht in March to 1.3 billion baht in April.

Mr Piyasvasti said the routine maintenance of the Yadana gas field does not represent an energy crisis.

However, a crisis of management could result if the government is unable to avoid any power outage which might result.

Mr Piyasvasti said that since coal-fired power plants will face resistance from communities fearful of air pollution, the government should pay more attention to small-scale, independent power producers which could add up to 1,000 MW of electricity to the power grid.

A source in the ERC said the regulator may keep the Ft rate for May-August unchanged because the additional cost from the Myanmar gas disruption will be offset by a decline in gas prices during the rainy season.

Tevin Vongvanich, president and chief executive of PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP), said the platform work cannot be delayed further.

The government had already persuaded the French operator of the Yadana block to delay the work by 36 hours.

"The gas platform needs to be fixed as fast as possible. By the end of April, a monsoon will arrive in the Martaban Sea and there will no longer be enough time to carry out repairs," he said.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Local News, Pongsak touts coal as solution to energy woes, Democrats say government knew of gas crisis last year, 21 Feb 2013, Aekarach Sattaburuth and Amornrat Mahitirook, link) 


Energy Vocabulary

electricity generation - the process of creating electricity (from natural gas or coal, for example) (See Wikipedia)

natural gas - "an energy source often used for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It is also used as fuel for vehicles and as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of plastics and other commercially important organic chemicals. Natural gas is found in deep underground natural rock formations" (See Wikipedia)

the country [Thailand] depends on natural gas for 70 per cent of its electricity generation

coal - a black substance mined from under the ground (coal mines) used as a fuel to generate electricity (See Wikipedia)

clean coal technology - (See Wikipedia & the Economist: The Illusion of Clean Coal)
environmental impact of coal industry - (See Wikipedia)

power - energy in the form of electricity produced in large quantities and used to operate lights, machines, and heating
plants - factories
power plant - a place where electricity is generated (electricity generation facility)

fossil fuel power plant - a type of power plant that "burns fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or oil to produce electricity.... In many countries, such plants provide most of the electrical energy used" (See Wikipedia)

coal-fired power plant - a power plant that uses coal as the fuel
coal-fuelled power plants

maintenance - work that is done to keep something such as a building, machine, or piece of equipment repaired and in good condition การซ่อมบำรุง
routine maintenance

scheduled - planned to happen at a particular time or day ตามตารางเวลา
scheduled maintenance

gas platform
natural gas platform - a structure in the sea built so that natural gas can be extracted from under the sea - (See Wikipedia)
routine maintenance on a gas platform

shortfall - not have enough; an amount which is less than the level that was expected or needed จำนวนที่ขาดไป, ปริมาณที่ขาดไป
energy supply shortfall

Yadana gas field - the most important source of natural gas in Myanmar that supplies much of Thailand's energy needs (See Wikipedia)
Myanmar's Yadana gas field

disruption - when some activity cannot continue because of a problem การแตกแยก,ความยุ่ง การขัดขวาง, , การหยุดชะงัก
disruption period
energy disruption

woes - great problems or troubles ความเสียใจ, ความทุกข์ร้อน
energy woes

tout - to praise or like something in order to get other people to like it too (to persuade people to like something)
touts coal as a solution

Pongsak touts coal as solution to energy woes

crisis - an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation วิกฤตการณ์ วิกฤต
gas crisis - a natural gas crisis (a period of time when there is not enough natural gas to generate electricity needed)

Democrats say government knew of gas crisis last year

overseas - in foreign countries (not this country)
invest in energy production overseas

surging - increasing suddenly by a large amount
demand - the need and desire to buy goods and services by households and businesses ความต้องการ
surging demand for electricity

Thailand must consider coal-fired power plants or invest in energy production overseas to meet surging demand for electricity, the energy minister says.

secure - get something that is difficult to get ได้มาซึ่ง (example: secure a food supply)
secure additional power

The country needs to secure an additional 25,000 megawatts (MW) of power to meet rising demand.

consumption - using, eating or drinking something การบริโภค
power consumption - the amount of electricity that homes and businesses used
national power consumption

stands at ... - at level ...
X stands at Y - X is now at level Y
national power consumption stands at 31,500 MW a year.

domestic - within the country ภายในประเทศ
gross domestic product (GDP) - the total value of all the goods and services produced by a country in one year

double - to become twice as big, twice as much or twice as many เพิ่มเป็นสองเท่า

The office expects that to more than double to 70,000 MW in 2030 based on average gross domestic product growth of 3.7 per cent.

there is no choice but to - must do (not optional)
Mr Pongsak said there is no choice but to build more power plants.

timing - the time that a person chooses to do something (to maximise the effect and ensure success) 
the timing of comments
attacked the timing of the minister's comments

shortage - when there is not enough of something การขาดแคลน
energy shortage 

looming - a threatening and worrying situation that seems likely to happen soon ที่เห็นลางๆ
a looming energy shortage 

exploiting - using something for your own benefit or gain
exploiting a looming energy shortage

justify a push for unpopular policies
justify - provide a reason for; to show that there is good reason for something แสดงเหตุผลที่ดีพอ

exploiting a looming energy shortage to justify a push for unpopular policies

The Democrats have attacked the timing of the minister's comments, saying Mr Pongsak is exploiting a looming energy shortage to justify a push for unpopular policies.

nationwide - including the whole cuntry ทั่วประเทศ
a nationwide energy supply shortfall

potentially - possibly เป็นไปได้
potentially creating a nationwide energy supply shortfall.

Routine maintenance on a gas platform will potentially creating a nationwide energy supply shortfall.

ministry - a government department dealing with an area of activity กระทรวง

the ministry had known about the scheduled maintenance of Myanmar's Yadana gas field since last year.

disruption - a situation in which something cannot continue because of a problem การขัดขวาง, การหยุดชะงัก
construction - the work of building or making something, especially buildings, bridges, etc. การก่อสร้าง

drum up - to do something to get people to do something (like support you or buy something from you)
drum up the disruption

accused - to say or claim that someone has done something wrong or morally right

He accused the minister of drumming up the disruption as an excuse to justify the construction of more power plants or to hike power costs.

risky - involving the possibility of danger, harm or failure เสี่ยงอันตราย

the country depends on natural gas for 70 per cent of its electricity generation, which is risky.

alternative - another choice ตัวเลือก / ทางเลือก
alternative fuels

soft - not strict; weak ไร้น้ำหนัก อ่อนด้วยเหตุผล
soft, alternative fuels

so-called... - is called this ...
so-called soft, alternative fuels

solar - involving the sun เกี่ยวกับดวงอาทิตย์
solar energy

wind energy - energy from wind and large wind turbines or windmills

Few energy sources are cheaper than natural gas — nuclear, hydro or coal. The so-called soft, alternative fuels such as wind or solar energy have a high price tag of 10 baht per unit

bills - money owed to others that must be paid quickly
power bills while eroding the competitiveness of the industrial sector.
the public's power bills

sector - a part of a country's economy or business activity ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ
industrial sector - all the companies making and manufacturing products in the economy

competitiveness - how well a business can do compared to other firms (does it have lower price or higher quality?) การแข่งขัน
competitiveness of the industrial sector

eroding - reducing something (and making weak)
eroding competitiveness - reducing competitiveness (and making weak)
eroding the competitiveness of the industrial sector

Relying on these sources will add to the public's power bills while eroding the competitiveness of the industrial sector.

opposition - strong disagreement with a plan or policy ความขัดแย้ง
run into opposition

locals - people who live in a particular place ชาวบ้าน
run into opposition from locals

He said the ministry is looking to build a coal-fired power plant in the resort province of Krabi but has run into opposition from locals.

diversify - add variety to that you already have ทำให้หลากหลาย
source - the place or person something comes from or starts at, or the cause of something ต้นกำเนิด, แหล่งกำเนิด

He admitted the Mae Moh case had made it more difficult to diversify to coal as an alternative fuel source.

air pollution - when the air has bad unhealthy chemicals in it from factories and car exhaust มลพิษทางอากาศ,  อากาศเสีย
air pollution from the coal-fired power plant

In that case, people affected by air pollution from the coal-fired power plant in Lampang province successfully sued the Industry Ministry and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) for failing to solve the problem.

viable - able to work as intended or able to succeed ซึ่งใช้การได้ (แผนการ, คำแนะนำ) ซึ่งประสบผลสำเร็จได้
viable alternative

reliance - when you must have something; dependence ความไว้ใจ, ความไว้วางใจ, ความเชื่อถือ
heavy reliance - very strong reliance (really must have or cannot function anymore)
heavy reliance on natural gas

current - of the present time ปัจจุบัน
current heavy reliance on natural gas

"All agencies must speed up their attempts to make the public understand that coal-fired technology is a viable alternative to our current heavy reliance on natural gas," Mr Pongsak said Thursday.

clean technology - a non-polluting technology for generating electricity

The technology has become better and cleaner. If people are made to understand this, they will accept coal-fuelled power plants more easily.

import - to buy or bring in products from another country นำเข้า
He said the government also plans to invest in energy production overseas and to import more electricity from Myanmar and Laos.

dependence - cannot do without, need การพึ่งพาอาศัย
gas dependence

ratio - the percentage, X / Y, one number X as a percentage of another number Y
the ratio of gas dependence

The new imports would cut the ratio of gas dependence to 50 per cent of total energy generation.

tariff - tax
fuel adjustment tariff
Ft charge - Shorter name for "fuel adjustment tariff"

there is also room for the fuel adjustment tariff, or Ft charge, to be raised by another 48 satang per unit

bunker oil - the oil used to power ships (See Wikipedia)

switch - to change เปลี่ยน
switch its power plants to run on bunker oil

Egat will have to switch its power plants to run on bunker oil and diesel instead of cheaper gas from Myanmar during the disruption period 

consumers - people who buy things (individuals and families)
higher costs  passed on to consumers - when costs of producing a product increased for a company it just increased price of product (note: in competitive markets this is difficult)

long beforehand - a long time before some even happened
known long beforehand

The Myanmar gas disruption was known long beforehand.

announcement - information given to public ประกาศ
the announcement for last year's Ft increase

factor - a fact or situation which influences the result of something ปัจจัย
mentioned the delivery disruption as a factor for the hike

Indeed, the announcement for last year's Ft increase mentioned the delivery disruption as a factor for the hike," Mr Piyasvasti, who was energy ministry under the Surayud Chulanont government, said.

projected - expected, forecast; what people believe it will in the future

In its December Ft increase announcement, the ERC projected it would have to increase the use of bunker oil in electricity generation from 21 million litres in March to 60 million litres in April.

procurement - process of buying large numbers of supplies for an organisation or company การจัดซื้อ
fuel procurement - the process of buying large amounts of fuel
fuel procurement costs - the cost of buying large amounts of fuel

tipped to -
That was tipped to increase fuel procurement costs from 453 million baht in March to 1.3 billion baht in April.

routine - the usual series of tasks that are done as part or a job or work กิจวัตร
represent - to act, speak or be present officially for another person or people เป็นตัวแทน
Mr Piyasvasti said the routine maintenance of the Yadana gas field does not represent an energy crisis.

power outage - a period when there is no electricity (available for the public)

However, a crisis of management could result if the government is unable to avoid any power outage which might result.

resistance - a refusal to accept something or allow it to happen การต่อต้าน, การขัดขืน
face resistance
the project will face resistance from communities

scale - size (relative size)
small-scale

independent - separate and not connect, not influenced or affected by others
small-scale, independent power producers

power grid - a set of wires that carries the electricity supply สายไฟ
add up to 1,000 MW of electricity to the power grid

Mr Piyasvasti said that since coal-fired power plants will face resistance from communities fearful of air pollution, the government should pay more attention to small-scale, independent power producers which could add up to 1,000 MW of electricity to the power grid.

decline - a decrease
a decline in gas prices 
a decline in gas prices during the rainy season

offset - change in the opposite direction
the additional cost will be offset by a decline in gas prices during the rainy season

regulator - an official who makes certain that the companies who operate a system work effectively and fairly ผู้มีอำนาจควบคุม

A source in the ERC said the regulator may keep the Ft rate for May-August unchanged because the additional cost from the Myanmar gas disruption will be offset by a decline in gas prices during the rainy season.

Tevin Vongvanich, president and chief executive of PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP), said the platform work cannot be delayed further.

the Yadana block - the Yadana gas fields (See above)
the French operator of the Yadana block

delay - to make something happen at a later time than originally planned or expected เลื่อน
delay the work

persuade - to change what people think by giving them reasons
they persuaded the French operator to delay the work by 36 hours.

The government had already persuaded the French operator of the Yadana block to delay the work by 36 hours.

monsoon - heavy seasonal winds and rain;  the season of heavy rain during the summer in hot Asian countries มรสุม ฤดูมรสุม (See Wikipedia)
by the end of April, a monsoon will arrive

"The gas platform needs to be fixed as fast as possible. By the end of April, a monsoon will arrive in the Martaban Sea and there will no longer be enough time to carry out repairs," he said.

Tell us what you think about this article

Like dislike 1 people liked / 0 people disliked it

Share this article

0

0

• More +

• Republishing permission
• Print this

Bangkok Post online classifieds

Try buying & selling goods and properties 24/7 in our classifieds which has high purchasing power local & expatriate audience from within Thailand and around the world.