CKP Confirms Xayaburi’s COD on Time, Ready to Sell 1,220 MW to EGAT End of October

Mr. Thanawat Trivisvavet, Managing Director of CK Power Public Company Limited (CKP), also the management of Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Plant, confirms that Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has issued the Certificate of Readiness for Operation since the 1st of October for the 7 units of the turbine generator after several important tests to assure the reliability and stability of electricity generation have been completed.

Xayaburi has been generating and supplying clean electricity to EGAT since April 2019 when the first unit came into operation and continues to increase the generating capacity after subsequent units each received certification for unit operation. With all 7 units passing global test run and receiving the Certificate of Readiness for Operation, this important event marks the confirmation of the official Commercial Operation Date (COD) at the end of October 2019.

 

Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Plant is the very first “Run of River” power plant on the lower Mekong River located in Lao PDR. Xayaburi HPP started the construction in 2012 and come to 99.86% within 8 years of the construction period. The total capacity of 1285 MW is from 7 units of 175 MW turbine generator sending 1220 MW of electricity to Thailand via 500 KV transmission line from The Li, Loei Province and the baby unit of turbine generator sending 60 MW to Electricite du Lao via 115 KV transmission line in Lao PDR.

 

EGAT has purchased electricity from Xayaburi Hydropower Plant after the series of strict individual and joint tests to make sure that all turbines from Xayaburi HPP can provide electricity with rigid stability and reliability to EGAT’s power grid.

As a large hydroelectric power plant of 1285 MW, Xayaburi HPP can instantly serve as a power supply within a very short period of time to stabilize the power shortage during daily peak or an emergency outage from neighbouring power plants. With this flexibility, Xayaburi HPP can be very adaptive when it comes to generating electricity from various levels of flow from different seasons of the Mekong River.

In addition to this flexibility from being a run-of-river power plant, the electricity is generated according to the strict operating principle of maintaining the inflow equal to the outflow at all times. This operating principle can mitigate social concern toward the downstream of the Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Plant.

 

Not only does Mr. Thanawat deliver his commitment to achieve Commercial Operation Date of Xayaburi HPP in October 2019, he also emphasizes on his vision to maintain the balance of business return and long-term sustainability for all investments of CKPower. All current power plants including the future ones of CKPower must generate a fair return to all stakeholders in a sustainable way.

From the incredible 19,400 Baht environmental mitigation measures of Xayaburi HPP which result in technologically advanced, world-class fish passing facilities, 11 spillways that can discharge possible maximum flood of the Mekong River and structural strength that can withstand 10,000 years return period earthquake, the Xayaburi HPP will set the standard for power plant development on the Mekong mainstream as the first, the largest and the most environmentally and socially sustainable power plant on the lower Mekong River.

 

About CKPower: CK Power Public Company Limited (CKPower or CKP) engages in the production and sales of electricity generated from three types of energy. The Company owns in 13 projects with the total installed capacity of 2,167 MW, consisting of two hydroelectric power projects, namely the Nam Ngum 2 Hydroelectric Power Plant with 615 MW installed capacity, operated by Nam Ngum 2 Power Limited (46% owned by CKP through its shareholding in SouthEast Asia Energy Limited) and the under-construction Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Plant with 1,285 MW installed capacity, operated by Xayaburi Power Company Limited (37.5% owned); two cogeneration power projects, operated by Bangpa-in Cogeneration Limited (65% owned); and nine solar power projects, 7 of which are under Bangkhenchai Company Limited (100% owned) with total installed capacity of 15 MW, one solar power plant with 8 MW installed capacity under Chiang Rai Solar Limited (30% owned) and one solar power plant with 6 MW installed capacity under Nakhon Ratchasima Solar Limited (30% owned).