Coal-powered power plant is safe: Energy Ministry

BANGKOK, Feb 18 (TNA) -- A government's plan to construct a coal-powered electricity plant in the southern coastal province of Krabi would ensure that the South has sufficient energy to utilise and the plant would not create pollution as it would use clean and safe technology, said a deputy spokesman of Energy Ministry. Opponents to the project have strongly opposed the plan after the government has decided to build the 800-megawatt coal-fired power plant in the province. But those in favour argued that the plant would create energy security for the South and the region would depend on energy lesser from the central region and coal-powered plant also carries lower costs than other sources. The deputy spokesman reasoned that Japan’s Isogo power plant which uses Ultra-Supercritical (USC) Generation emits very low sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide at 0.01 gramme per kilowatt/hour and at 0.05 gramme per kilowatt/hour respectively. Japan is now building a second coal-powered plant using the same USC Generation technology which is expected to operate in 2020, said the deputy spokesman, adding that upon completion the plant would emit gases less than the Isogo plant. The plan to build Krabi coal-powered power plant will use Japanese technology and, therefore, should not pose an environment problem in the province, the deputy spokesman said. (TNA)