Energy policymakers are preparing for major blackouts caused by disruptions to the natural gas supply between April and August both this year and next due to repairs and maintenance at natural gas blocks in Thailand and Myanmar.
Energy permanent secretary Suthep Liumsirjaroen said gas supply of 630 standard million cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), or 14% of Thailand's total demand, from the Bongkot Field in the Gulf of Thailand will be stopped from April 10 to 27.
Then from June 13 to July 10, supply from Thailand-Malaysia Joint Development Area’s (JDA) A 18 block will be disrupted, affecting 400 MMSCFD or 9.3% of Thailand's total consumption.
Next year, 1,100 MMSCFD or 25% of gas demand from Myanmar’s Yadana field will be disrupted from April 10-18, while supply from the JDA will be disrupted again from May to August 2015.
Mr Suthep said policymakers together with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the Department of Mineral Fuels and major players in the business sector such as PTT will cooperate to reduce electricity consumption during peak hours and ensure adequate supply.
"We don’t want to have blackouts or brownouts again, so we have a contingency plan," he said.
Egat has standby diesel and bunker oil power generators ready in the event of a blackout, while PTT plans to avoid the shutdown of its petroleum production blocks during the gas disruption.
ERC plans to ask businesses that use a lot of electricity to cut consumption by avoiding production during peak hours or adjusting working hours during the disruption. This step should cut about 300 MW of usage during peak hours.
If the gas disruption worsens, energy authorities could cut power to some areas to avoid greater economic damage.
Mr Suthep said policymakers are also working on a long-term plan to prevent disruptions, as they have become more frequent in the last five years.
ERC secretary-general Kawin Tangsupanich said from next week solar rooftop projects with a capacity of less than 10 kilowatts will be exempt from obtaining an operation permit, or Ro Ngo 4 licence, from the Industrial Works Department. However, the regulation cannot be applied retroactively for the first round of solar rooftop scheme, he said.