Thailand's ECGO to expand coal energy investment abroad: Report

Thailand?s The Electricity Generating Public Company (ECGO) is setting a 5 years target to expand its investment abroad by 30 percent, ThaisNews reported Monday.

The President of ECGO, Wisit Akarawinake said that it is ready to participate in the bidding for Independent Power Producing companies in March 2007. ECGO will be establishing 10 coal power plants, mostly in the vicinity of deep-water ports, in order to facilitate the transport of coal by ship.

Wisit revealed that Thailand's primary coal sources are China, Indonesia, and Malaysia, while the government views that coal resources remain an essential ingredient in power production due to its low investment cost, thereby allowing the public access to low cost electricity.

The ECGO president says that the type of coal used will be of the bituminous variety, rather than lignite, due to its greater energy potential.

Wisit said ECGO will utilize environmentally-friendly technology from its new business alliance, the Mitsubishi Corporation, in its coal energy power production. The government of Thailand is reportedly putting its full support behind the initiative. (*)