EGAT - Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand

05/26/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/25/2023 23:39

Mae Hong Son begins commercial operation on smart grid solar farm and strives toward green tourism city

Mae Hong Son begins commercial operation on smart grid solar farm and strives toward green tourism city

26 May 2023

Mae Hong Son Province, Ministry of Energy, and EGAT joined forces to develop Mae Hong Son Province to be a green tourism city with smart energy innovation and launch the Solar Power Plant and BESS Project, one of the strategies of Mae Hong Son Smart Grid Pilot Project. The power plant started commercial operation to enhance power system security, strive toward low carbon society, and raise quality of life.

On May 25, 2023, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), under the Smart Grid Pilot Project in Mae Hong Son Province, held a Commercial Operation Date (COD) ceremony for the 3 MW Solar Power Plant and 4 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project. Mr. Chettha Mosikarat, Governor of Mae Hong Son Province, presided over the ceremony together with Mr. Chaiwut Lakmuang, EGAT Assistant Governor - Sustainability Management, Mr. Bandit Tangpokanon, Acting Provincial Energy Officer of Mae Hong Son Province, and Mr. Akaporn Kongjit, Project Manager of the contract company, Italthai Engineering Co., Ltd. The ceremony was also joined by public and private agencies and community leaders at Mae Hong Son Smart Grid Pilot Project, Pha Bong Sub-district, Mae Hong Son District, Mae Hong Son Province.

Mr. Chettha Mosikarat, Governor of Mae Hong Son Province, said that Mae Hong Son Province cooperated with the Ministry of Energy, Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, EGAT, Provincial Electricity Authority, and other related parties to develop Mae Hong Son Smart Grid Pilot Project in the province to raise the quality of life and strive toward "Mae Hong Son: Green Tourism City." This project is in line with the 4 SMART provincial strategy, namely SMART SYSTEM: develop an energy management system for efficient electricity generation and transmission; SMART CITY: promote green tourism with modern energy management technologies, such as EVs and EleX by EGAT charging stations; SMART LEARNING: build a learning center to be a tourist destination and a source of knowledge on energy, arts, and culture, which will open this July 2023; and SMART ENERGY: develop the Solar Power Plant and BESS Project, which has begun their commercial operation. In addition to maintaining power system security in Mae Hong Son Province, this power plant is eco-friendly in keeping with "Mae Hong Son: Green Tourism City."

Mr. Chaiwut Lakmuang, EGAT Assistant Governor - Sustainability Management, added that the Solar Power Plant and BESS Project under the SMART ENERGY strategy were developed to enhance the power system security in Mae Hong Son Province due to many power outage problems occurring in the province. The Ministry of Energy and Mae Hong Son Province had an idea to solve the problem using Thailand's smart grid development plan, which resulted in the development of this solar power plant project as well as the provincial government's installation of 200 MW solar rooftops to help reduce the instability of the power system. The power plant could supply electricity to the Provincial Electricity Authority immediately; in case other power plants are still unable to operate at full capacity.

The Solar Power Plant and BESS Project under Mae Hong Son Smart Grid Pilot Project are developed in accordance to the Power Development Plan, Revision 1, B.E. 2561-2580 (PDP2018 Revision 1). It is a part of the plan to increase the proportion of clean energy and in line with the national energy policy of Carbon Neutrality by 2050 and Net Zero Emissions by 2065.