[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
The NAtion: Egat moves gas turbi
- Subject: The NAtion: Egat moves gas turbi
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 01 May 1998 19:34:00
Business
Egat moves gas turbine
unit to avert fine on PTT
STATE-OWNED Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand (Egat) has decided to
temporarily transfer a gas turbine unit from
the Lan Krabue Power Plant to the delayed
Ratchaburi Power Plant to help the
Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) avoid
being fined by the Burmese gas supplier,
the Egat governor said.
Blaming the construction company, Egat
governor Viravat Chlayon said the
commissioning of the first gas turbine unit
at the Ratchaburi power station will be
postponed until September or October and
it will not be ready to receive gas from July
1 as scheduled.
Although Egat will not incur a fine from PTT
since the gas sales contract has not yet
been concluded between the two state
agencies, Viravat said Egat will help
prevent damage to the country and keep its
promise to PTT by transferring a generator
from the Lan Krabue plant for use until the
completion of the Ratchaburi project.
Earlier, PTT indicated it will be subject to a
fine of US$20 million plus $2.5 million in
interest if the plant is delayed three months.
PTT signed a take-or-pay contract with the
consortium comprising France's Total SA,
Unocal Corp and PTT Exploration and
Production Plc that developed the Yadana
offshore gas field in Burma.
The temporary relocation of the Lan Krabue
gas turbine unit, which will cut the
generating capacity of the Lan Krabue
Power Plant to 115 megawatts from 140
MW, has displeased Thai Shell Exploration
and Production Co, which supplies gas to
the Lan Krabue plant. However, the Egat
governor said the relocation is necessary
and it will not breach its contract with Thai
Shell.
Mitsui & Co won the contract to build the
gas-fired combined-cycle section of the
Ratchaburi Power Plant, which will include
three 600 MW gas turbine generators. The
Ratchaburi station will also house a 2,800
MW thermal plant fired by fuel oil.
Previously, Egat planned to remove a gas
turbine unit from the Sai Noi Power Plant
but the relocation would have cost Bt200
million compared to Bt10 million for the Lan
Krabue turbine. The Lan Krabue turbine is
older than the Sai Noi unit.
A recent public protest over the
construction of the Yadana gas pipeline,
which prompted Prime Minister Chuan
Leekpai to order a 10-day suspension of
the project, raised fears that the completion
of the pipeline would be delayed but PTT
said it will complete the Bt20 billion pipeline
on time to receive the Burmese gas.
The gas contract represents the first
cross-border gas sales agreement
between Thailand and neighbouring
countries.
BY WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG
The Nation