Nuclear power study to be ready in time

Speaking at a seminar entitled "Nuclear energy: the value for investment in future", Chavalit Pichalai, deputy director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office of the Energy Ministry, said three potential sites would be proposed to the government next year as scheduled.

Once the government gives its approval, construction work on the project, expected to take six years, would start. Under the power development plan, the nuclear plant would go on stream in 2020.

However, the challenge lies in educating people about the safety issues and the value of the investment to Thais.

"About 20 per cent of Thais lack understanding, while people at our proposed locations oppose the construction. We have to aggressively undertake public relations exercise on nuclear power nationwide through seminars before handing over the study to the government," he said.

He said public awareness, safety and investment value are three important issues in having a nuclear power plant. However, if the government disagreed with the project, the Energy Ministry would look at backup plans.

"The possible alternatives, if the country decides against having a nuclear power plant, might be to purchase electricity from Laos, or import green coal and liquefied natural gas instead," he said.

However, the office believes the nuclear power is a suitable choice for investment. Even if the construction cost of a nuclear power plant is high - an estimated Bt160 billion - the country currently faces a risk of shortage of renewable energy. The backup of renewable energy is only 13 per cent.

To prevent shortage of natural gas, the government should promote the use of natural gas for transportation and petrochemicals, and not use it to generate electricity, he added.

He noted that the country's import bill for fuel last year totalled Bt765 billion.

Pricha Karasuddhi, technical adviser at the Nuclear Power Programme Development Office (NPPDO), said that if the ministry could not find the potential sites, the study might be delayed.

"Drilling explorations have not found potential areas yet because the location must have a stone layer. Moreover, the location must be near a river or sea sources," he said.

He said the nuclear power plant is not a new issue in Thailand. The country has to prepare the human resources. The ministry is ready to open bidding for uranium ore procurement if the government approves the project.

"We have three years for training the human resources and arrange sources of funding during the construction period," he added.

Piromsakdi Laparojkit, economics and finance adviser of NPPDO, said capital cost, operation cost, construction timing and discount rate are the main factors that would impact on the investment value of a nuclear plant.

The value for money is one factor the government should consider along with the safety of thenuclear plant. However, nuclear power is a suitable renewable power if the government wants to solve the problem of power shortage in the future, he said.