Power supply development plans prepared for Thailand's SEZs

BANGKOK, October 12 (TNA) - Agencies concerned, including the Ministry of Energy, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), have jointly prepared power supply development plans for Thailand's new special economic zones (SEZ) along the border with neighboring countries. Twarath Sutabutr, Director-General of the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), under the Thai Ministry of Energy, told journalists on October 11 that his office and the three electricity state enterprises have jointly formulated the power supply development plans for the Thai government-sponsored SEZs, which are also used as a key performance indicator of the four power agencies this year and will serve the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), set to be formed by the end of this year. Twarath said the plans include the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and electricity supply systems for six Thai SEZs in Mae Sot District of the northwestern Tak Province, Aranyaprathet District of the eastern Sa Kaeo Province, Khlong Yai District of Trat Province, also in the Thai East, Muang District of the northwestern Mukdahan Province, Muang District of the northwestern Nong Khai Province and Sadao District of the southern Songkhla Province. According to the senior Thai official, the plans also cover a future extension of power transmission cables to sister towns in neighboring countries to facilitate international electricity trade, namely cable connection from Mae Sot to Myawaddy or Hpa An Town in Myanmar, from Nong Khai to Vientiane, Laos' capital, and from Khlong Yai to Koh Kong Province in Cambodia. (TNA)