The dispute over a coal powered plant construction project in Nakhon Si Thammarat could erupt again, after the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) took 22 provincial officers last week to study
Deputy Governor Sitthipong Terdrattanapong, said the trip gave him the experience and facts on energy he wished to pass on to villagers. The power plant construction was possible because energy was essential and, if villagers were informed, they would accept it, he said. State policy, technology and funds were ready for its construction.
However, protest networks said they opposed a coalpowered plant in Tha Sala or Hua Sai districts of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Songwuth Patkaew of the Rak Ban Kerd Tha Sala group said local administrative organisations and residents disagreed with the plan and would invite MP candidates to hear their opinions today.
A source at Egat said the authority needed the plant to support a soontobeannounced provincial industrial estate. It had moved to build only one plant with larger capacity – compared to the previously planned two 800megawatt plants. The source said a public relations campaign to explain the project would begin after the current local administrative bodies finished their term, but before construction had begun.
Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Mixed-reactions-to-coalpowered-plants-30158564.html
