EGAT Enters Its 50th Year for Better Life & Sustainability
25 May 2018
“Innovate Power Solutions for a Better Life” is a new mission of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to cross the fast – changing technological landscape while caring for society in a sustainable manner and supporting Thailand 4.0 state policy. EGAT seeks to accomplish this objective by raising the efficiency standards of energy supply system and introducing innovation to develop a power industry, ensuring security of the energy supply to the country, having public participation and bringing about a sustainable society. EGAT is heading into its 50th anniversary.
There were a lot of happenings, socially, economically and politically, in 2017 and involving EGAT in its capacity as a state enterprise. The most visible one is its pursuit of the Energy 4.0 of Energy Ministry which forms part of the Government’s Thailand 4.0 policy by means of employing innovation to advance the electrical energy in a tangible fashion.
The opening of a solar power station in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, attests such pursuit. It is a 5 – MW facility that combines four solar – based generation technologies. It is the first of its kind in Thailand which supports the research and development (R&D) of renewable energy and solar cell.
In the near future, EGAT will deploy innovation and new technology in developing integrated alternative energy by combining two or more generation sources in the “hybrid” format; undergoing R&D for energy storage to help strengthen the stability of renewal energy – based power supply in accordance with Energy Ministry’s Alternative Energy Development Plan (2015 – 2036).
Furthermore, EGAT is committed to looking after the environment and communities by engaging in R&D for added – value derived from power generation for the economic benefit of communities.
Among some exercises serving that objectives are using heavy ashes from Mae Moh Power Plant to make light weight bricks; extracting Humic acid from Leonardite (sourced from mining process) and blending it with chicken manure, residue from brew’s yeast, sugarcane bagasse and enrichment compound to make an organic fertilizer and given to communities.
EGAT has included renewable energy projects with a total generating capacity of 500 MW in the AEDP. Seven of them, with a combined capacity of 32 MW are solar based and due to come on line between 2018 and 2021. Four out of seven are floating solar farms while three others are ground solar type.
The four floating solar facilities are located at Bang Pu Reservoir, Krabi; Huay Ped Reservoir and Huay Sai Reservoir in Lampang; and Wang Noi Power Plant’s Reservoir in Ayutthaya.
The ground solar farms are situated at Mukdahan 2 sub station in Mukdahan; EGAT’s Mae Moh Power Plant in Lampang; and Chom Bueng sub station in Ratchaburi.
The Chom Bueng solar facility will be completed with a battery energy storage system which can be developed to serve other forms of energy storage such as hydrogen for fuel cell or hydrogen gas engine, as well as becoming a learning center for solar energy in the future.
“Today EGAT is walking alongside Thai people to develop the country and bringing about prosperity in the social, economic and environment contexts,” Mr Viboon concluded.
EGAT’s 2017 performance was endorsed by several proud awards won including the outstanding award for energy conservation and alternative energy from Thailand Energy Awards 2017; and outstanding award for being an exceptional well – managed state enterprise from State Enterprise Awards 2017.
Internationally, EGAT won two accolades from the ASEAN Coal Awards 2017, one for the Best Practice for Surface Coal Mining (Mae Moh Lignite Mine) and the other in Corporate Social Responsibility Category for the Community Collaboration for Sustainable Development in Mae Moh District.
Meanwhile, EGAT has assumed the role of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) importer and put in place the infrastructure necessary to feed this fuel to EGAT power plants, as well as enforcing the integral role it plays in the business, from upstream, to midstream and downstream. Under the National Energy Policy Council’s resolution, EGAT is trusted with two tasks.
First, EGAT becomes the first third-party to secure and feed natural gas to PTT Plc’s system with a maximum LNG volume of 1.5 million tons a year starting in 2018 for delivery to EGAT power plants.
Secondly, EGAT is commissioned to build a LNG floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), capable of storing 5 million tons.
The natural gas supply involved is destined for EGAT South Bangkok Power Plant Blocks 1 and 2, and EGAT North Bangkok Power Plant, while certain volumes will be fed to natural gas pipeline system. This is a scheme bringing on a new player in Thailand’s natural gas business, adding an entry point to the natural gas pipelines to strengthen security of energy supply while promoting competition in the natural gas business.
Aside from power utility, EGAT has acted responsibly in the societal and environmental dimensions under the slogan “Wherever EGAT is, the communities there must be happy in a sustainable way.” The pursuit is clearly evident in the establishment of eight learning centers nationwide, “Waen Kaew” eyeglasses Project, the “Por – Mae Up – patam” parental patronage Project, Kindness Youths at the Borders Project, EGAT Reforestation Project and Biological Way of Life for Sustainable Development Project.
