GROUP SEEKS INVESTIGATION OF EGAT'S LAO PRICING

       A consumer interest group has aked a Senate committee and the counter-corruption agency to probe the power-purchase memorandum of understanding between the Hongsa lignit-fired power-plant project in Laos and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.
       It said the price Egat would pay to the project for electricity was too high, and asked the state agency to give an official public explanation as to why.
       Sutthi Achasai of the People's Network in the East said the group had last week submitted requests to Rotsana Tositrakul,chairman of the Senate corruption investigation committee, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission to look into the matter.
       The group asked both agencies to focus on the fact that Egat had adjusted the price for the electricity it would procure from the Hongsa coal-fired plant to Bt2.275 per unit, from Bt2.05.At Bt2.275,the Hongsa project will generate revenue about Bt58 billion throughout its 25-year concession.
       The group said the price was too high, when compared with Bt2.10 per unit that Gheco-One's coal-fired plant in Map Ta Phut had agreed for sales to Egat.
       Rawi Corsiri,chief operating officer of Banpu, one of the project developers, said the project was unlikely to change the price from Bt 2.275 per unit.
       He added that the price adjustment was in line with a hike in construction costs. Despite the price adjustment, the project will not make a higher return on investment,which remains at 10 per cent.
       The US$3.7-billion (Bt126 billion)Hongsa plant can produce 1.65 gigawatts. Banpu and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding each owns 40 per cent of the project, while the Lao government holds 20 per cent.