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Published on April 5, 2008

"[Despite the switch to higher-priced fuel], consumers won't see higher energy costs or blackouts," deputy energy permanent secretary Norkhun Sittipong said after meeting with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and PTT yesterday.

The disruption in the supply of 460 million cubic feet per day from the Yetagun gas field since cracks were found on Thursday exacerbates existing shortages due to the delay in transmissions from the Arthit field.

The Yetagun pipeline shutdown forces power plants to resort to 10 million litres of bunker oil a day, while 70 million litres will be imported this month to replace the missing gas from the Arthit field.

Norkhun said Bangchak Petroleum had agreed to provide 20 million litres, while Thai Oil will step up production by 30 million litres.

On May 6, the coal-fired power plants of Egat in Mae Moh and BLCP Power will run at full capacity.

"With power reserves of 26 per cent of consumption, there won't be any brownouts or blackouts," he said.

Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop said more gas would come from Burma's Yadana field to relieve the shortage.

The Nation