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dam-l LS: Lao power sales to Thailand

The Nation / 30 May 2000

Hong Sa Project in Laos To Supply Power Sooner

   THE 608-megawatt Hong Sa power project in Laos is likely to start
supplying electricity to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
(Egat) two years ahead of schedule after the power plant's developers
convinced the Laotian government to give special treatment to the project.
   Chavalit Pichalai, director of the Power Division of the National Energy
Policy Office (Nepo), said the Laos government recently decided to allow the
Hong Sa Lignite power project, scheduled to start supplying power in 2008,
to replace any projects that failed to begin operation in 2006 as planned.
Three cross-border power projects in Laos are scheduled to commence
operations in 2006 ­ Nam Theun II, Nam Ngum II and Nam Ngum III.
   "To date, the 553 MW Nam Ngum II is unlikely to begin operating on
schedule in 2006 due to the financial problems of its shareholders," he
said.
   Hong Sa Lignite is wholly-owned by the joint venture ThaiLaos Power and
its shareholders have a close relationship with Laotian government.
   Apart from Hong Sa Lignite, there are two other power projects in Laos
scheduled to begin supplying Egat in 2008 ­ Xepian and Xenamnoy (365 MW) and
Xekaman (407MW).
   Meanwhile, the Thai and Laotian governments have agreed on the price of
electricity supplied from Nam Theun II. The two countries are currently
drafting a memorandum of understanding and power purchase agreement (PPA).
   "The original 25-year power purchase contract from Nam Theun II has been
changed already. The project will supply power directly to Egat in the first
13 years of the agreement and then bid for power supply in Thailand's power
pool in the next 12 years," Chavalit said.
   In a move to liberalise the power industry, Thailand plans to operate a
power pool in 2003.
   A total of 3,000 MW of power is due to be supplied to Thailand before
2006. And two of these projects have commenced commercial operations ­ the
ThenmHinboun (187 MW) and Houay Ho (126 MW) projects.
   Apart from Laos, Thailand has also initiated power purchases of 1,500 MW
and 3,000 MW from Burma and China's Yunnan Province respectively.
   The 1,500-MW Ging Hong in Yunnan would be the pilot project for the power
pool in Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries, with supply scheduled to
start in 2013. Interconnection of the Ging Hong power route linking three
GMS countries and running from Yunnan to Laos and Thailand would be the
first multinational project of its kind, Chavalit said.
   Electricity de France, with 30 per cent ownership, is the largest
shareholder in Nam Ngum II, while the Laos government holds a 25 per cent
share. Other shareholders are Transfield of Australia (10 per cent),
ItalianThai Development (15 per cent), Jasmine International (10 per cent)
and Phatra Thanakit (10 per cent)
   Shareholders in Nam Ngum III are Sri Uthang, Sh lapak Development,
Bilfinger&Berger, JM Voith Gmbtt, Noell Gmbtt and Siemens AG. ­

BY Nareerat Wiriyapong
The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/new/bu15.shtml