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Thailand's plan to embrace nuclear power has run into trouble due to funding delays, said a source at the Energy Ministry.

The source said that the Energy Conservation Fund had not yet allocated a budget of Bt750 million to the Nuclear Power Programme Development Office (NPPDO), despite the government's decision that the office should receive the funding. The office is tasked with preparations for nuclear power development.

Between now and 2010, a feasibility study is scheduled to be completed along with other preparatory work. The budget for this is set at Bt1.34 billion, of which the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) will contribute Bt595 million.

The Surayud Chulanont government approved the nuclear-power project study, but the project has seen little progress since. Neither former energy minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop under the Samak Sundaravej government nor current minister Wannarat Charnnukul have gone ahead with disbursement of the budget.

There have been only two developments so far: the establishment of the NPPDO and the signing of a contract between Egat and Burns and Roe Asia to conduct the three-year feasibility study.

In addition, the ministry might review the Power Development Plan in order to reduce electricity capacity to match declining growth in gross domestic product. This may also lead to a delay in nuclear-power plant construction, which is currently scheduled for 2014-19.