Thailand is the second-largest economy and the fourth most populous in the Southeast Asia region. The country has experienced rapid growth in electricity demand with peak loads growing by nearly 50 percent over the past decade1 due to increase in tourism, agriculture and industries. While most demand for electricity is concentrated in its capital, Bangkok and the surrounding central areas, there is significant load demand in the northern region of the country.
In the northeastern province of Thailand is Khon Kaen, formerly known for its silk production industry. Today, it is home to the largest university in the northeast and an important commercial and industrial hub for the country. Rapid industrialization and growing population demand secure and reliable electricity supply.
To address the increasing electricity demand, ABB will design, supply and commission 550-kV GIS type ELK-3 for TEDA Company Limited, a leading turnkey engineering, procurement and construction company in Thailand. The Khon Kaen 4 substation will be built for Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), a state-owned power utility, scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2017.
ABB's GIS is designed to enhance grid reliability with minimized footprint, lifecycle costs and environmental impact. A stronger grid will be a major enabler of improvement for power purchase from Laos PDR project to support the Power Development Plan (PDP2015) which a part of the ASEAN Power Grid.
ABB's compact and proven GIS solution will enhance capacity and help deliver reliable power supplies to meet the growing electricity needs" said Giandomenico Rivetti, Managing Director of ABB's High Voltage Products business unit, a part of the company's Power Grids division. "We have a strong track-record in the region coupled with solid local presence to support the grid development, as part of ABB's Next Level strategic thrust on growing markets."
ABB's GIS has been enhancing electricity transmission in Thailand for almost two decades and have successfully deployed similar solutions to the 500 kV Nan substation and 500 kV Roi Et 2 substation.
Sources:
1 International Energy Agency: Thailand Electricity Security Assessment 2016
