BGRIM Signs the Ratchaphatsadu Land Lease Agreement to Produce Electricity at U-Tapao

Mr. Sontirat Sontijirawong, Energy Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand presided over the Signing Ceremony of the Agreement to Lease State land (Ratchaphatsadu) for the Purpose of Producing Electricity and Chilled Water at the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Development Project between the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO) and B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited (BGRIM). Dr. Kanit Sangsubhan, Secretary-General of the EECO; and Mr. Harald Link, Chairman of B.Grimm, and Mrs. Preeyanart Soontornwata, President of B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited participated in the signing ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok. The event was witnessed by representatives from relevant government agencies and private companies and organisations such as H.E Mr. Georg Schmidt – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Mr. Jan Lars Christian Scheer – Minister, The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Tae Hyun Park – Director of Commercial Attach, The Embassy of The Republic of Korea and Mr.Zhang Daxue, Head of Asean of Thailand Office CEEC.

The Public Private Partnership Agreement of the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Project which was signed on Friday 19 June 2020 is considered one of the key infrastructure investment projects of the EEC to elevate the U-Tapao International Airport  to become “Bangkok’s Third Major Commercial International Airport”, with connection to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi International Airports via high-speed rail link. The three airports will be able to accommodate a total of 200 million passengers a year. The region is poised to become the centre of tourism industry, the logistics and aviation hub as well as becoming the “Eastern Aerotropolis” thus driving Thailand towards becoming an aviation hub and Asia’s economic gateway.

 

The project to produce electricity and chilled water is part of the utilities system development in the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City that will prime the area to accommodate the expansion of passengers, logistics and aviation businesses, and the vision of becoming the centre for E-commerce businesses and technology hub for aviation.

 

The Royal Thai Navy as the agency responsible for the Project to develop the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City together with EECO has selected B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited as the company to lease 100 Rai of State land to carry out utilities development system which include the electricity and cooling water systems to accommodate the development of the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City. The electricity will be produced using hybrid power generation system from a cogeneration power plant which sources its raw materials from natural gas and PV Solar Farm, a type of clean energy source in line with the key guiding concepts of the EEC. The total electricity generation capacity is 95 Megawatts equipped with the smart Energy Storage System (ESS) of 50 Megawatt-hours. The system is also prepared to utilise other types of electricity sources should the airport reach its highest level of development and demanding more than 95 megawatts of electricity. The system’s energy security will be further enhanced by the energy storage system with the capacity to store 100 percent of electricity produced. The heat resulted from electricity generation will be converted to the production of chilled water used in the air-conditioning system of the airport, thus moving towards maximum utilisation of energy while reducing any environmental impacts.

 

Moreover, the hybrid power generation system is able to select efficient or economical sources of power in order to provide electricity with continuity and stability. The energy storage system reduces any damage which may affect electrical devices that are normally in operation for 24 hours. This will also be an efficient and convenient system for passengers of the U-Tapao International Airport .

 

Mr. Harald Link, Chairman of B.Grimm stated that B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited is delighted to sign the lease agreement of Ratchaphatsadu land to carry out the business of producing electricity and chilled water for the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Development Project which is considered an immensely important project among infrastructure development projects of the EEC. The U-Tapao International Airport will become the new commercial international airport of the future which will contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth. It is our greatest pride and honour for B.Grimm as a Thai company that has contributed to Thailand’s key infrastructure developments over the past 142 years of its business.

 

BGRIM has been entrusted with this honour by the Royal Thai Navy and the EECO to be responsible for the production of electricity and chilled water for the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Development Project because the Company has expertise in the successful construction, development, and management of power plants in the leading major industrial areas in the provinces under the EEC project. This began in 1995 when the Company started developing a cogeneration power plant. Hence BGRIM is fully confident that the Company will be able to utilise its readiness and its experience to develop a new power plant for the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Development Project to its highest ability. The opportunity and honour entrusted on BGRIM will lead to greater capacity to accommodate the increasing demand for quality electricity in this special development area.

 

Moreover, the Company has been cooperating closely with the world’s leading partners including China Energy Engineering Corporation or Energy China, a top state owned conglomerate specialising in energy from the People’s Republic of China which provides the hybrid power generation technology for construction, and Korea Electric Power Corporation or KEPCO, a state enterprise and the largest electric utility from the Republic of Korea with expertise in a provision of the Energy Storage System (ESS) technology and the Smart Energy Management System (EMS). The Company also collaborates with Siemens from Germany which provides continued support for Gas & Steam Turbine technology to the project. Such close collaboration guarantees that BGRIM will be able to develop an electricity production and distribution system that is secure, stable, modern and environmental-friendly to the highest efficiency, contributing to the foundation of the key infrastructure systems that will drive the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Development Project to success as envisioned in the Government’s strategies.

 

Mrs. Preeyanart Soontornwata, President of BGRIM commented that currently the Company is, in all aspects, more than ready to ensure that the work to implement the policy of developing the U-Tapao International Airport can be carried out immediately. The hybrid electricity generation system for the U-Tapao International Airport and the Eastern Airport City Development Project will be ready for Commercial Operation Date (COD) in 2024. It will become one of the largest hybrid power plants in the world efficiently utilising the three electricity-generating systems. It will be able to bring to the fore the most modern, stable and efficient power generation technology while ensuring safety, sustainability, and friendliness to the environment. This power plant is considered a key utilities project that will truly be able to foster energy security for the future for the U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City Development Project in accordance with the Government’s development policies.