Bangkok--Mar 24--PTT
ACM Narongsak Sangapong, Executive Vice President, Special Project Department — Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), and Mr.Chitrapongse Kwangsukstith, Senior Executive Vice President of Gas Business Group — PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) and Chairman of District Cooling System and Power Plant Co., Ltd (DCAP), have signed a 20-year Sales/Purchase Agreement On Steam/Chilled Water with the total worth of Bt4.4 billion. Mr. Cherdpong Siriwit, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Energy, witnessed the Contract Signing Ceremony.
Mr. Chitrapongse revealed that the business agreement between THAI and DCAP represents a close cooperation between the state enterprises — a move which is in line with the government’s energy preservation policy. Because under the District Cooling and Power Plant System, the heat waste from the electricity generating as by product was brought back for reuse.
Being a state enterprise under the supervision of Ministry of Energy, DCAP is owned 35% by PTT, 35% by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, and 30% by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority. DCAP has invested in the construction of two units of district cooling and power plant system using natural gas as fuel for electricity generating via the cogeneration system. While supplying electricity to the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the heat waste from the electricity generating process will be used to produce steam and chilled water, resulting in the most efficiency from the cogeneration system. The first District Cooling and Power Plant Unit supplies steam and chilled water to Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited to run the air conditioning system for the Passenger Terminal of Suvarnabhumi Airport. The steam and chilled water produced by the second District Cooling and Power Plant Unit will be supplied to TG Catering Building of THAI. The chilled water will replace Chlorofluorocarbon or CFC in running the air conditioning system. Such replacement helps reduce CFC which is the substance that lessen ozone layer in global atmosphere.
Mr. Chitrapongse said demand for steam and chilled water by THAI are 8.6 tons per hour and 6,600 refrigerated tons respectively. The District Cooling and Power Plant Unit built for THAI has the production capacity of 12 tons per hour of steam and 8,440 refrigerated tons of chilled water; therefore, the current production capacity can serve future demand growth.
ACM Narongsak said Thai Airways Catering or TG Catering has received approval from the company’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Projects Management Committee for the purchase of steam and chilled water from DCAP. Amid the current oil price rising situation, the cooperation between THAI and DCAP has served the government’s energy saving and alternative fuel promoting policies. TG Catering has been taken an important role as its catering services provided not only to THAI’s passengers, but also to 46 corporate or airline clients. As a result, TG Catering gains as high as 60-70% market shares. In addition, THAI plans to increase a production to 65,000 meals per day at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Amid its expansion plan, THAI demands higher energy to match with TG Catering’s production growth. With the steam and chilled water to be supplied by DCAP, TG Catering can reduce its costs on new chiller machine purchase. Meanwhile, the agreement helps the company to reduce its operating costs by Bt15 million per year. Therefore, the Sales/Purchase Agreement between THAI and DCAP does not only boost THAI’s competitive edge, but also upgrades the country’s energy efficient utilization to match the global standard. Moreover, amid the current crisis on rising oil prices which might deteriorate the country’s economy, the move serves the government’s alternative fuel initiative, especially the promotion of natural gas usage which is the clean energy.
The cooperation between THAI and DCAP represents a vital attempt by mankind in conserving the deteriorating natural resource and environment through the best utilization. THAI feels proud in taking part in the government’s energy conservation program. In addition, THAI will move forward with new programs in employing more alternative fuel usage such as solar cell.
District Cooling System and Power Plant Co., Ltd
Tel. 0-2537-2163, 0-2537-2159 End.