EGAT wants consistency from Myanmar gas supply

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) reiterates the need for public solutions to address electricity demand in the country, following frequent disruption of natural gas supply from Myanmar in the past few years.

The latest supply disruption took place after Myanmar was shaken by a powerful earthquake early morning of Nov 11.

Pongdit Potejana, EGAT spokesman, said that natural gas now accounts for 70 per cent of fuel for electricity generating. Such excessive dependence poses risks to the electricity system. To address the gas shortage in the short term, bunker oil-powered generators are turned on which could raise the overall generating cost. Within 15 years, gas from the Gulf of Thailand will run out and imported liquefied natural gas is twice more expensive. He noted that Thailand is in need of new fuel, to substitute natural gas. Yet, it must be fuel that keeps power prices low and supports stability.

“All parties should brainstorm and reach a solution now, as it takes 5-6 years to erect a power plant,” he said.

To cope with the latest disruption which blocked the supply of 1,100 million cubic feet per day from Myanmar, all gas-fired power plants in the West with combined capacity of 5,000 megawatts are turned off and power was generated by the bunker oil-powered plant in Ratchaburi. The gas-fired power plants were turned on again in the afternoon of Nov