EGAT SEEKS PRIORITY FOR NATIONAL POWER PLAN

       The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has urged the Energy Ministry to promote the national power development plan as a national priority.
       Egat deputy governor Somboon Arayasakul said yesterday that if the 2009-2024 PDP, which is still under development by the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), is put on the national agenda, not only the ministry, but people in all social sectors would gain the chance to help shape it.
       "All interested parties should be provided with the opportunity to participate and debate until they can arrive at a conclusion on which type of power plants should be set up in the future. The conclusion should also be added in the PDP," he said.
       This would prevent possible conflicts between Egat and local communities and involved sectors in the future when Egat has to build more power plants under the PDP, he said.
       The hiring of the Energy for Environment Foundation by EPPO to study future power demand, which is part of the PDP, is an encouraging move, he said.
       This opens the way for the NGO sector, represented by the foundation, to have a role in making up the plan.
       EPPO director Veerapol Jirapraditkul said the foundation and the NIDA Business School, which were hired by EPPO to study the GDP growth trend during the next 15 years, were expected to finish their studies this year.