BANGKOK, 18 March 2011 (NNT) – The Ministry of Energy will keep on studying feasibility of constructing nuclear power plants in Thailand despite the alarming concern for safety measures in the wake of plant explosions and radioactivity leakage in Japan.
Energy Minister Medical Doctor Wannarat Channukul stated that Thailand has not yet scrapped the feasibility study and will thoroughly revise the planned construction; however, the project will not be raised to the attention of the cabinet very soon.
In this connection, the Energy Ministry will adjust the 20-year power development plan (PDP 2010), which aims to construct hundreds of 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plants beginning 2020. He said if the project could not be implemented, other types of energy must be developed.
According to the initial plan, four additional 800-megawatt coal-fired power plants will be built, raising the total number of such plants to 13. Another 800-megawatt gas power plant will be constructed.
The minister admitted that the construction of coal-fired power plants must be considered carefully because it has been confronted with strong protest. He then questioned opposing people on how the country could acquire electricity if all power plant projects are protested.
