Committee to conduct feasibility study on nuclear plant
The National Energy Policy Council has resolved to form a committee to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Thailand.
Korb Krittayakeeron, senior advisor of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), will chair the committee, said Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand.The committee will study if it is viable to construct a nuclear power plant and prepare all legal measures to accommodate the construction. Piyasvasti said it should take seven years to study and prepare the construction and another six years for the construction itself. "Investment in a nuclear power plant could be a significant option in the future, but it takes a long time for preparation. We need to get ready for it now. If we do not study it now, we will never know if the development is suitable while many countries like China, India, Vietnam, Finland and Australia are already geared towards nuclear plants," Piyasvasti said. Nuclear-generated power costs Bt1.60 per kilowatt hour, compared to Bt2 for natural gas and coal and Bt2.30 for liquefied natural gas. "The cost of nuclear power is lower than that from other fuels," he said. "There are also price risks due to the shrinking reserves of oil and gas. Meanwhile alternative-fuel development is lagging. Look at solar cells: the technology has been developed for four years, but the generating cost remains high." Piyasvasti also insisted that bidders in the second round for selection as independent power-producers were not required to specify the types of fuel in their bidding documents.
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