Kraisri Karnasutra, governor of the state agency, yesterday said the plants would require an investment of $1.5 million per megawatt. He said nuclear power involved a lower generating cost - at Bt2.01 per unit - than coal, for which the cost was Bt2.05 per unit.

Under the power development plan (PDP), which runs from this year to 2021, Egat will be responsible for national nuclear power generation.

"We're studying the project in detail, and we'll also work on educating the public about nuclear power generation," Kraisri said yesterday at an Egat-sponsored forum titled "Why Nuclear Power Plants?"

He said the plants would be located near rivers, because water is essential for cooling in nuclear facilities. The two plants will together cover an area of 1,000-2,000 rai.

In his speech to the forum, Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said the Kingdom needed nuclear power, because of its overreliance on natural gas and trends towards cleaner energy.

"Nuclear power provides the highest security in terms of fuel when Thailand is facing risks in natural-gas supplies. At present, one-third of natural gas comes from Burma, and Thailand is now negotiating to import liquefied natural gas."

He called natural gas a clean energy source that was in high demand from many countries, which have agreed purchase contracts in advance. Meanwhile, despite its abundance, coal does not enjoy public acceptance, due to fears of pollution.

"Therefore, energy ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum at their meeting from May 27-30 in Australia approved the move to develop nuclear power technology jointly," the minister said.

Under the PDP, 4,000MW of nuclear power is set to be fed into the system in the next 14 years: 2,000MW in 2020 and 2,000MW in 2021.

Piyasvasti said a nuclear-power working committee had been formed and that an action plan should be complete by the end of this year.

If approved, construction of the plants will not start before 2014, by which time the authorities will have undertaken personnel training and public education. A further assessment will then be carried out to finalise whether Thailand was ready for nuclear power plants. If so, the plants will take about six years to build.

"If the new government does not agree to the plan, it should have a clear answer about what the alternative would be and where the fuel would come from," he said.

Piyasvasti added that the Energy Ministry plans to be carried out under the PDP would help reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide.

Under the PDP, priority will be given to power generation from natural gas in the initial stage, to be followed by coal-fired power plants and hydropower. Carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced from 600 tonnes per gigawatt to 470 tonnes by 2021.

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