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Press Release
For immediate release
April 30, 2012
NGOs Unveil New Energy Plan That Asserts Thailand Does
Not Need Xayaburi Dam Or Other Forms Of Destructive
Energy
Bangkok, Thailand: Today, representatives from more than
130 civil society organizations have proposed a new Power
Development Plan to Thailand’s policy makers and the
public to chart a sustainable pathway to meet Thailand’s
future energy needs. The plan shows that power from the
Xayaburi Dam on the Mekong River, as well as proposed
nuclear power plants, are not needed to meet Thailand’s
future energy needs, and that investment in energy
efficiency, renewables and co-generation could lower
electricity bills for consumers by 12% by 2030 and avoid
unnecessary investment of $60 billion (2 trillion baht).
The proposed Power Development Plan (PDP) 2012 and a
Framework for Improving Accountability and Performance of
Power Sector Planning was produced by Thai energy experts
Chuenchom Sangasri Greacen and Dr. Chris Greacen. The
plan was presented by Ms. Chuenchom Sangasri Greacen on
Friday April 27, 2012 at a closed door meeting being held
by Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission. Officials
from the Ministry of Energy and the Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand (EGAT) were in the audience.
“Thailand’s energy planning process is in a state of
crisis. Persistent over-forecasting of energy demand has
led to over-investment and onerous economic burdens on
consumers. Risky and environmentally unsound power plants
are being built inside Thailand and neighboring countries,
while safer, cleaner and cheaper alternative energy
options are being disregarded,” said Ms. Greacen. “This
new power plan identifies barriers and offers realistic
energy solutions, which will bring social, economic and
environmental benefits to Thailand.”
More than 130 civil society organizations have endorsed
the plan and its policy recommendations, which will lead
to more sustainable and cheaper alternatives than the
energy choices determined in Thailand’s PDP 2010.
“This new Power Development Plan will revolutionize and
modernize Thailand’s energy sector. It shows how we can
protect the environment, while scrapping power projects
like destructive dams, dirty coal and dangerous nuclear
plans. The Plan also tackles issues such as energy
affordability, climate change and energy security,” said
Mr. Tara Buakamsri, Campaign Director for Greenpeace
Southeast Asia, one of the NGOs that has endorsed the
plan. “We hope this report gives policymakers and
business executives the knowledge and confidence needed to
take smart steps forward.”
The report is being released only days after Thailand’s
Ch. Karnchang Pcl. announced that it was building the
Xayaburi Dam in Laos on the Mekong River despite a lack of
regional agreement by the governments of Laos, Thailand,
Cambodia and Vietnam.
“It’s clear that the electricity of the Xayaburi Dam is
not needed in Thailand,” said Pianporn Deetes, Thailand
Country Coordinator for International Rivers. “Investing
in energy efficiency measures and alternative energy could
easily prevent Thailand from continuing down this
dangerous path of environmentally and socially disastrous
projects, like the Xayaburi Dam. Thailand’s energy
authorities would be wise to cancel the Xayaburi Dam and
begin implementing the solutions offered in this new Power
Development Plan.”
Contacts:
- Ms. Chuenchom Sangarasri Greacen, Tel: +66 81 773
3788, E: chomsg...@gmail.com
- Ms. Pianporn Deetes, Thailand Campaign Coordinator,
International Rivers, Tel: +66 81 422 0111, E: P...@internationalrivers.org
- Mr. Tara Buakamsri, Campaign Director, Greenpeace
Southeast Asia, Tel: +66 89 476 9977, E: tara.bu...@greenpeace.org
For more information:
Read the report in English
and Thai
Read
the press release in Thai
Background Information:
The report analyzed the Thai government’s current Power
Development Plan (PDP 2010) and found that future power
demand was overestimated by 13,200 megawatts (MW) over the
next 20 years, the equivalent of 10 Xayaburi Dams. The
authors also found that Thailand already has enough excess
surplus capacity and projects in the pipeline such that no
additional power plants or energy efficiency measures are
needed until 2017.
The report’s authors came up with a more realistic demand
forecast for 2030 by looking at historical trends over the
past 25 years. They found that over the past 20 years, the
Thai government's official electricity demand forecasts
have consistently over-estimated future power demand,
resulting in unnecessary investment and higher bills for
consumers. After the demand forecast reduction, the
authors found that the power sector still needs an
additional 14,387 MW of power by 2030 in order to maintain
a 15% reserve margin. The generation sources included in
the PDP 2012 are as follows:
- Projects already under construction and planned
renewables and cogeneration are included. This does not
include Xayaburi or any other additional imported
hydropower.
- Energy efficiency and demand side management at levels
consistent with the Thai Government's 20-year Energy
Efficiency Plan – equivalent to savings of 20% of total
electricity consumption.
- 4,800 MW of high-efficiency gas-fired cogeneration. A
cogeneration plant utilizes not only the electricity but
also the generated heat in industrial or commercial
applications, thereby significantly increasing the
plant’s efficiency. In contrast, the heat produced in a
centralized power plant is typically wasted through
cooling towers.
- Extending the plant life for some existing power
plants.
The authors found that the proposed PDP 2012 would result
in reductions in carbon dioxide emissions on a per-capita
basis of 7.7% by 2030 compared with a per-capita increase
of 75% under the PDP 2010.
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