Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Pcl, Thailand’s largest private power producer, said on Tuesday it planned to invest 16 billion baht ($530 million) in 2011, mostly to finance renewable power plants.
Major projects included the 390-megawatt Xe Pian Xe Nam Noy hydroelectric power plant, in which Ratchaburi has a 25 percent stake, and solar power plants, President Noppol Milinthanggoon told reporters. The Xe Pian Xe Nam Noy power plant in Laos is expected to cost about $830 million.
Ratchaburi, 45 percent owned by state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), aims to boost electricity output from renewable energy including solar and hydropower plants to 100 megawatts from 30 megawatts, Noppol said.
The company expected to receive authorisation from a state energy agency to build three small power plants (SPPs) with combined capacity of 400 megawatts and estimated investment of 30 billion baht, Noppol said, adding Ratchaburi would seek partners for the projects.
The government is in the process of giving contracts to SPPs to produce up to 2,000 megawatts and the first lot of electricity is scheduled to be commissioned from 2015.
EGAT, the country’s sole power buyer, is considering allocating another 1,500 megawatts to SPPs as part of the government’s plan to secure electricity supplies for Thailand.
Ratchaburi has generating capacity of 4,300 megawatts, about 15 percent of Thailand’s total.
Source: http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFSGE6BR05520101228
