BGRIM’s Angthong co-gen plants off to a good start, ensuring security of supply to EGAT, industries

B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited (SET: BGRIM), one of Thailand’s private pioneers in mass power production, on July 11 heralds the start of the construction of its two latest co-generation plants. The commencement of the two natural gas-fired powerhouses, each with a 140 megawatts in generation capacity, is marked by a foundation stone laying ceremony presided over by Dr. Harald Link, Chairman of B.Grimm and President of BGRIM, and Dr. Chayanin Debhakam, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of Singha Estate, at 8:29 a.m on the site.

The two plants are undertaken by B.Grimm Power (Angthong) 2 Ltd and B.Grimm Power (Angthong) 3 Ltd, both are BGRIM’s subsidiaries, at the S Industrial Estate Angthong in Chaiyo District, Angthong Province.

Dr Link said the two powerhouses feature new efficiency technologies that allow them to yield more electrical output than conventional systems. They are scheduled to start commercial operation in 2023 with 280 MW of their combined output are transmitted to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) under a 25-year supply agreement, and all remaining production going to industries at the S Industrial Estate Angthong.

Dr. Chayanin Debhakam said that Singha Estate is delighted to be a part of this important milestone — the groundbreaking ceremony for the two combined-cycle cogeneration power plants; and also to be a partner of B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited, one of Thailand’s leading highly-acknowledged names in energy generation. The two co-gen power plants are environmental-friendly by utilizing technology with turbines and gas to produce electricity. Not only is this technology high production capacity and low carbon emission, and helps reduce global warming, but it is also uplifting S Angthong, the industrial estate where the plants are located, as the World Food Valley and eco-industrial estate, coinciding with the eco industry trend around the globe.

“I would like to thank BGRIM for a great partnership. We hope that this will be the beginning of more collaborations to support each other’s businesses and success in the future.”

Meanwhile, Dr Link said BGRIM has been ramping up investment both at home and abroad with a total outlay of 140 billion baht being embarked over the next five years. The investment will go towards developing power stations under the established power supply contracts and new projects under negotiations which include greenfield developments and acquisition assets. This year, BGRIM expects to secure new power sale contracts totalling at least 1,000 MW in capacity, while recording more than 55 MW in deliveries to new industrial clients.

In addition, BGRIM has managed fuel costs by preparing to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) under long-term contracts starting from 2023. An annual LNG supply of 500,000 tonnes will be directed to BGRIM’s 18 co-generation plants to keep energy production costs in check.

BGRIM is constructing new high-efficiency powerhouses to replace five older plants whose supply contracts have ended. These replacement facilities, with a total installed capacity of 700 MW, are set to come on line commercially in the second half of 2022 with a 15% saving in natural gas burn per unit being achieved, thanks to modern technologies.

BGRIM currently has 56 projects in operation, with a total installed capacity of 3,342 MW, and the firm is on course to boost cumulative power sales to 7,200 MW by 2025 and to 10,000 MW by 2030.