The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has postponed announcing the investors selected for the much-delayed Energy for All renewable energy scheme until Sept 23 to allow those deemed underqualified to appeal.
ERC previously set Sept 2 for the announcement date, but is rescheduling the date for the appeal process, said ERC secretary-general Khomgrich Tantravanich.
Prospective investors must agree to a co-investment in biomass and biogas-based power generation between businesses and communities, in areas overseen by the Provincial Electricity Authority, the state electricity distribution arm. A total of 118 investors applied for the scheme, but only 44 of them met the technical criteria.
Qualified investors are required to have officials consider their benefit-sharing proposals for both the investor and the community, with the goal supplying fast-growing plants as fuel for power plants.
According to ERC, signing of power purchase agreements (PPA) between investors and the government is postponed to Jan 1 next year from Dec 31 this year. The operation date of the plants is scheduled to be within 35 months after the PPA signing.
Power generation capacity under Energy for All in the first phase is set at 150 megawatts, half of which coming from biomass resources.