The Energy Ministry has mapped out measures to prevent power blackouts during the maintenance of the Bongkot gas field and Thai-Malaysian Joint Development Area (JDA) next month.
Permanent Secretary for Energy Suthep Liumsirijarern said power consumption will peak at 27,077 megawatts in late April while the Bongkot gas field will temporarily close for maintenance April 10-27.
Power consumption is estimated to reach 26,752 megawatts during April 23-24, he said, but he gave assurances that consumer power supply will not be disrupted given a reserve of 4,000 megawatts.
Mr Suthep said gas production maintenance in the Thai-Malaysian JDA from June 13-July 10 may affect the power supply in Thailand’s southern provinces as the Jana power plant in Songkhla can generate only 700 megawatts of electricity while consumption normally peaks at 2,543 megawatts during the period.
Other plants will generate about 2,300 megawatts for the South and it is possible that the South could be short by 200 megawatts during peak hours in the evening, he said.
The Energy Ministry has instructed related agencies to ensure continuous power supply in Thailand’s 14 southern provinces while the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) will have to supply additional 500 megawatts from the central region to the South.
A partial power outage may be necessary if power supply from EGAT is insufficient, said Mr Suthep, adding that a power saving campaign will be launched.
Charcrie Buranakanonda, PTT senior executive vice president in charge of the gas business unit, said PTT has reserved oil and liquefied natural gas for April.
Power production maintenance at the Thai-Malaysia JDA will affect NGV gas distribution at 14 stations in three southern provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Songkhla, he said.
The JDA field produces 190 tonnes of NGV per day and production will be suspended for 10 days during which supply will be reduced to 110 tonnes per day for the next 18 days.
NGV will be supplied from the central region during the maintenance but a shortage in the South could not be ruled out, he said.
