'Fully interconnected ASEAN power grid uneconomical'<\/p>\n
Dow Jones, Bangkok<\/p>\n
Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian nations
\nmeeting next week in Malaysia will be told that an ambitious plan
\nfor a fully interconnected ASEAN power grid isn't economical.<\/p>\n
A study conducted by a committee on the ASEAN Interconnection
\nMaster Plan has instead focused on grouping the power network
\ninto two systems - the East and the West system, said Prutichai
\nChonglertvanichkul, the chairman of the study. Members of the
\ncommittee of the ASEAN Interconnection Master Plan Study included
\nexperts from ASEAN member utilities.<\/p>\n
"The results of ASEAN Interconnection Master Plan Study
\nindicated that it is uneconomical to fully integrate the power
\nsystems of all ASEAN countries," Prutichai told the Thai Power
\n2003 seminar being held in Bangkok this week. The seminar ends
\nlater on Friday.<\/p>\n
"The interconnection between Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak
\nisn't economical. The study has therefore been focused on
\ngrouping the network into two systems - the East System and the
\nWest System," he said. Prutichai added the study also showed
\ninterconnections between Borneo island and the Philippines were
\nuneconomical.<\/p>\n
The East System consists of Brunei, Malaysia's Sabah and
\nSarawak, Indonesia's west Kalimantan, and the Philippines.<\/p>\n
The West system comprises Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia,
\nThailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia's Sumatra and Batam, and
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
"The power systems in ASEAN countries therefore cannot
\ninterconnect completely up to 2020," Prutichai said. But he noted
\nthe power systems of the main land area including Indonesia,
\nLaos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are expected to
\nbe interconnected by 2014 to form a part of the ASEAN power grid.<\/p>\n
The report will be submitted to ASEAN energy ministers and
\nsenior officials attending the 21st ASEAN Ministers Energy
\nmeeting, which will be held early July in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
The study also shows 11 possible bilateral interconnection
\nprojects, including Thailand-Laos, Thailand-Myanmar, and
\nThailand-Cambodia.<\/p>\n
The proposal for power interconnection among ASEAN member
\ncountries was mooted about 20 years ago, but progress has been
\nslow.<\/p>\n
Prutichai noted some issues that have to be considered in
\ncross-border interconnection include national security issues
\nregarding self-sufficiency and a different rate of progress in
\nstructural reform of the respective countries' power sectors.<\/p>\n
Thailand looks set to be the center of power interconnection
\nin the ASEAN region, thanks to its geographic location, which is
\nnear cheap energy resources, said Prutichai.<\/p>\n
Prutichai is also the assistant director of the transmission
\nsystem planning division at the Electricity Generating Authority
\nof Thailand.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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