NHRC to check on biomass plants

Hannarong Yaowalert, who is on a sub-panel of the National Human Rights Commission, said yesterday residents in Ubon Ratchathani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Tak, Chiang Rai and Chumphon had complained about adverse impacts from seven plants less than 10-megawatts in size that produce electricity from agricultural waste. Most of them were privately run.

Given the plants were small, they were not legally required to do an EIA or hold a public hearing on their construction and operation. Nearly all avoided conducting an EIA despite the fact some were located less than a kilometre from a hospital or a nursery, he said.

"An owner of a 9.5-megawatt plant using 250 tons of chaff on a daily basis, thus, doesn't have to answer questions or find a solution for chaff dust and aches due to the lack of a supervising regulation because it doesn't need an EIA report," he said.

The sub-panel had learnt that 60 biomass power plants had been approved around the country while another 280 projects were ready to be built in the future, according to an Energy Ministry policy.

The sub-panel would summon those who granted permission for the seven problematic plants to be built for more information before offering solutions or recommendations to the government and people affected by the plants, he said.