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The bond issue is aimed at financing the authority's power plant in Wang Noi, and moving its power plant in Bang-Prakong to the South to make up the estimated power shortage in the area in 2013.

Governor Sombat Sarntijaree yesterday said Egat has sought approval from the Finance Ministry and the Energy Ministry for the bond issue this year.

He said funds raised from the bond issue would be used for investments during the rest of the year and next year. He said Bt2 billion will be invested in the projects this year and the rest will be used for electricity transmission and the power-plant project in Wang Noi.

Sombat said the interest rate for the bonds would be announced later.

Somboon Arayaskul, deputy governor Egat, added that the power plant in Wang Noi, which is fuelled by natural gas, has a capacity of 750 megawatts and would need an investment of Bt20 billion.

He said the project is now in the process of calling for tenders. He expected more than 10 private firms to show interest. According to the schedule, the tender for the technical bid is expected to start by the end of this year and will be open for bidding early next year.

Somboon said construction of the power plant in Wang Noi might be delayed by five to six months. However, it would not affect Egat's production. Following decline in demand for electricity, Egat's power reserve has increased by 13 per cent. Currently, it is discharging its old power plants to restore power reserve back to the normal 15-per-cent level.

In addition, Egat will move the sixth unit of its 750-megawatt power plant to the South to deal with the estimated power shortage there in 2013. Now, there is only main power plant in the South, located in Chana, Songkhla. Demand for power in the South is at 1,700 megawatt, against supply of 1,400 megawatt.

Sombat said after signing a contract with Gunkul Engineering to install a 2.5-megawatt wind-turbine power plant, that the Bt145-million project would be located in Nakhon Ratchasima and is expected to supply power next year.

He said the project would be the country's largest wind-turbine power plant, which will be commercially supplied into the system.

The wind-turbine project is one of Egat's renewal power plants. Other projects are the 1-megawatt solar-cell generated power plant and hydropower plant generating 78.7 megawatt with a total investment of Bt5 billion.