Thursday, March 1, 2012

Myanmar Open to Coal-Fired Power for Internal Use, PTT Says

Myanmar is open to using coal-fired power for a planned $8.6 billion industrial zone in Dawei as long as the electricity is used for domestic needs only, said Pailin Chuchottaworn, chief executive officer of PTT Pcl. (PTT)

PTT, Thailand’s biggest energy company, had planned to invest in a coal plant in Dawei that would export power to Thailand before Myanmar’s government scrapped the 4,000-megawatt project earlier this year, Pailin said. The plant was in original plans by Italian-Thai Development Pcl (ITD) for a deep-sea port and business park in the Indian Ocean town.

Myanmar’s government is “against the idea of exporting coal-based power to Thailand but they will allow coal-based power for internal use,” Pailin said in an interview yesterday. PTT, whose exploration arm is developing nine blocks in Myanmar, stands ready to develop its oil and gas industry, he said.

Myanmar’s year-old government has scrapped two large-scale power-plant projects since taking office as it undertakes democratic reforms and improves relations with the West. Last September, it suspended a China-backed $3.6 billion hydropower station designed to ship electricity across the border.