BLCP won't bid on power
BLCP Power Co Ltd will not participate in the next round of Independent Power Producer bidding though it has the capacity to do so, shareholder Banpu Plc announced.
Chanin Vongkusolkit, chief executive officer of Banpu, which holds a 50 per cent stake in BLCP, said the BLCP compound in Map Ta Phut, Rayong, could accommodate a new plant. However, Banpu wants the company to wait until the first plant wins public acceptance in terms of general management and environmental impact controls. Good controls would increase Banpu's reputation as an efficient coal-fired power producer, which will pave the way for its overseas expansion, he noted. "If we can control the environmental impact from a large coal-fired power plant like BLCP, it would mean public acceptance elsewhere. Right now, we're looking at the possibility of investing in a new power plant in Vietnam after the acquisition of four plants in China," Chanin said. Chanin noted that although the energy authorities would allow coal-fired power plants to join the bidding, Banpu was willing to forgo the opportunity and to invest more in new locations. "We'll be happy if CLP is interested in joining us in investing in new plants," he said. Hong Kong's CLP Power Asia half-owns BLCP's plant. The Energy Ministry is expected to hold the IPP bidding some time in the latter half of next year so that new plants could start producing power in 2011. Half of the new capacity will be awarded to Egat Plc, while private companies are invited to bid for the other half. BLCP's plant, with a capacity of 1,346 megawatts, is scheduled to start its first phase in April. CLP Power Asia made the investment in the plant due to low public resistance in Map Ta Phut compared to what other coal power producers witnessed in Bo Nok and Hin Krud. Watcharapong Thongrung The Nation
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