Egco to expand domestic and overseas energy investment

BANGKOK, Feb 5 (TNA) – Electricity Generating PCL (Egco), Thailand’s first independent power producer, plans to invest Bt4-7 billion in conventional and alternative energy both domesically and overseas this year.

Egco president Vinij Taengnoi said the company will focus its investment in natural gas and coal production by constructing two plants in Indonesia and one plant in the Philippines.

For domestic investment, he said the company would develop alternative energy as the power demand in Thailand had not increased greatly during the economic crisis.

The firm would set aside a budget for joint investment in building a solar power plant with a generation capacity of 50 megawatts in Lopburi province and a wind power plant with the same capacity in Nakhon Ratchasima. Both plants require a total investment of Bt9 billion and Bt3-4 billion respectively.

Additionally, the company plans to invest in construction of small hydro-power plants in various areas, which could encourage the alternative energy policy adopted by the government and relieve the greenhouse effect.

Under its investment expansion plan, Egco is set to increase its power generation capacity by 1,000 megawatts from almost 4 megawatts at present. (TNA)