Thailand’s Bang Pakong Power Plant starts operation of generator using crude palm oil to help farmers
12 February 2019
The Minister of Energy pressed the start button for the commercial operation of the generator which uses crude palm oil and natural gas at Bang Pakong Power Plant, with the confident that it will help the oil palm farmers as planned.
On February 2, 2019, Dr. Siri Jirapongphan, Minister of Energy, chaired the opening ceremony for the commercial operation of the generator using crude palm oil. The ceremony was joined by Mr. Worapoj Waewsingngam, Deputy Governor of Chachoengsao Province; Mr. Thamasak Rattanatanya, Deputy Governor of Chonburi Province; Mr. Viboon Rerksirathai, EGAT Governor; heads of government offices, local leaders, and EGAT executives at the control room of Bang Pakong Thermal Power Plant, Unit 3, in Chachoengsao Province.
Dr. Siri Jirapongphan said, after delivering the first lot of crude palm oil in the amount of 4,000 tons by boat from Surat Thani Province to Bang Pakong Power Plant on January 28, 2019, EGAT has now started the commercial operation of the generator which uses crude palm oil and natural gas at Bang Pakong Thermal Power Plant, Unit 3, with a ratio of 50:50. From EGAT’s improvement of power plant equipment, crude palm oil can now be used to generate power around 30,000 tons per month, which according to the plan, will reduce crude palm oil from the market 160,000 tons. EGAT will use crude palm oil to generate power for the next 6 months from February – July, 2019.
“Today’s commercial operation of the generator using crude palm oil is another step towards success in which all sectors including EGAT, private sectors, and oil palm farmers have joined together to find a tangible solution for oil palm fruit price declining. After that, crude palm oil must be bought from extraction plants to the full amount of 160,000 tons. There will also be a signing ceremony between EGAT and crude palm oil sellers in the near future,” said Minister of Energy.
However, using crude palm oil to generate power will not have an impact on the country’s electricity price because the operation cost is not included with FT.
Source: http://www.egat.co.th/en/news-announcement/news-release/bang-pakong-power-plant-starts-operation-of-generator-using-crude-palm-oil-to-help-farmers
