Thailand: Energy Ministry gears up for remote electricity shutdown in peak periods

Thailand: Energy Ministry gears up for remote electricity shutdown in peak
periods

THE ENERGY MINISTRY plans to commence its Demand Response (DR) scheme next
hot season that will allow utilities to shut down selected electricity
equipment remotely at the facilities of participating consumers, said
ministry spokesman Twarath Sutabutr.

The DR programme comprises three major measures: critical peak pricing,
interruptible load/direct load control, and emergency activation.

Under the scheme, power utilities will install a wireless shut-off switch on
air-conditioners or other electricity-consuming equipment at participating
consumers.

In exchange for enabling the utilities to switch off or increase the air
temperature of their A/C for a handful of short intervals during peak-demand
periods, participating customers will be entitled to a 50-per-cent reduction
in the electricity rate during off-peak periods. Initially, these measures
will be applied voluntarily to large electricity consumers who have
installed automated meter infrastructure (AMI), which number more than 1,000
nationwide, Twarath said.

He said the DR tariff mechanism would be supportive of the growth of solar
energy, since some consumers would find it a worthwhile to install solar
panels to feed electricity to their facilities during critical-peak periods
when the power rate is doubled to more than Bt9 per kilowatt-hour, from the
current peak rate of about Bt4.

The critical peak period is expected to occur at short intervals between 1
and 3pm during the two hottest months of a year. The DR scheme is part of
the smart-grid programme for which the ministry has laid down a master plan
to invest Bt200 billion during the next 10 years, beginning with pilot
projects in Muang and Mae Sariang districts of Mae Hong Son, Betong in Yala,
and Pattaya in Chon Buri province.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Link to Original Article:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30303337?utm
_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Nationmultimediacom
-Business+%28NationMultimedia.com+-+Business%29

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com