Energy Regulatory
Commission Chairman Direk Lavansiri reassures the local businesses that
the Eastern Seaboard will not be affected by April’s looming energy
crisis.
Phasakorn Channgam
The Eastern Seaboard will not be affected by April’s looming
energy crisis, with any blackouts only affecting the western section of
the country, the Energy Regulatory Commission said.
At a Feb. 22 meeting at Pattaya’s Cholchan Resort, commission Chairman
Direk Lavansiri said the April 5-14 closure of the Yadana offshore gas
field in Myanmar is unlikely to cause power cuts anywhere, but if
blackouts occur, they would not happen in the east.
French oil and gas company Total plans to close the Yadana plants for
annual maintenance, cutting the amount of natural gas supplied to the
kingdom by 25 percent. Thailand gets most of the gas for its power
plants from Myanmar and the shutdown will leave the kingdom with little
or no gas reserves during its peak energy-demand season.
“This situation may cause the western region and
nearby areas to experience the affects of electrical distribution in
lower wattage for a period of time, but the eastern region will not
experience any affects at all,” Direk said.
The ERC was meeting in Pattaya as part of its ongoing series of hearings
on distribution of funds from its “Communities Surrounding Power Plants”
reserve, which was set up to redevelop residential areas impacted by
construction and operation of power plants.
Direk said 2.6 billion baht has been allocated for spending in 2013 and
the eight hearings will determine what projects are constructed.
In 2012, the commission allocated 650 million baht for 1,068 projects in
Chonburi. About a fourth of those focused on education, religion, local
culture and tradition. The remainder of the money went toward projects
focusing on lifestyle, health, and community development.
For 2013, Direk said, the commission already has received applications
for 78 projects in Chonburi totaling 82 million baht.
