Private sector urges SMR study release before PDP hearings

Matichon•Economy•1d ago

Reader Briefing

Trirat Sirichantaro-phas urges the government to disclose cost and safety studies for Small Modular Reactors and the new PDP before conducting public hearings.

•The Ministry of Energy plans to hold public hearings for the new Power Development Plan (PDP) in early September.
•The draft PDP includes Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with a total capacity of 9,000 megawatts.
•Trirat Sirichantaro-phas emphasizes the need for transparency regarding electricity cost structures and SMR risks.
•The private sector warns that the transition to clean energy must balance carbon reduction with system stability and public cost.

Overview

•The Ministry of Energy prepares to open public hearings for the new Power Development Plan (PDP) in early September.
•Trirat Sirichantaro-phas states that public hearings should not only list power plant types but explain the resulting electricity cost structures.
•The draft PDP includes the addition of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with a total capacity of 9,000 megawatts.
•Trirat Sirichantaro-phas warns that the government must disclose the consultant's studies on SMR safety, waste management, and costs before finalizing the plan or conducting an EIA.
•Trirat Sirichantaro-phas argues that the public needs sufficient information to decide because the final impact is the cost the people must pay.
•Trirat Sirichantaro-phas notes that while Renewable Energy is necessary, its intermittent nature requires reserve power plants or energy storage systems which add to the cost.
•Trirat Sirichantaro-phas calls for the government to reveal both positive and negative impacts of the new plan on electricity costs and national competitiveness.

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Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Quotes

Trirat Sirichantaro-phas

"I want there to be a clear explanation to the people as to why related Renewable Energy is being increased and what the stability of the electricity system will be."

อยากให้มีการชี้แจงกับประชาชนให้ชัดเจนว่า การเพิ่ม Renewable Energy ที่เกี่ยวข้องนั้นเพิ่มเพราะอะไร และความมั่นคงของระบบไฟฟ้าจะเป็นอย่างไร

Trirat Sirichantaro-phas

"Before we put nuclear into the PDP, I want the consultant's study to be disclosed to the public before it is included in the plan and before the EIA is conducted."

ก่อนที่เราจะใส่นิวเคลียร์ลงใน PDP ผมอยากให้เอาการศึกษาที่ปรึกษาทำออกมาเปิดเผยให้ประชาชนได้รับรู้ก่อนที่จะบรรจุลงในแผน และก่อนที่จะทำ EIA

Key Entities

Person

Trirat Sirichantaro-phas(ตรีรัตน์ ศิริจันทโรภาส)

CEO of New Energy Plus Solutions Co., Ltd. (NEPS) and expert advisor to the Energy Committee.

Organization

New Energy Plus Solutions Co., Ltd.(บริษัท นิว เอ็นเนอร์จี พลัส โซลูชั่นส์ จำกัด)

A company led by CEO Trirat Sirichantaro-phas.

Energy Committee(คณะกรรมาธิการการพลังงาน)

A committee for which Trirat Sirichantaro-phas serves as an expert advisor.

Ministry of Energy(กระทรวงพลังงาน)ℹ️

The government body preparing to hold public hearings for the new PDP.

Policy

Power Development Plan(แผนพัฒนากำลังผลิตไฟฟ้าของประเทศ)

The national electricity production plan, referred to as PDP.