Unocal acquires interest in planned Thai power plant

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Unocal Thailand Ltd. said Feb. 28 that it has signed an agreement to acquire 30 percent of the shares of Amata Power (Bangpakong) Ltd., a power plant project in eastern Thailand, under the small power producers program.

Amata Power (Bangpakong) is a 112-megawatt, gas-fired cogeneration plant project to be located in Amata Nakorn industrial estate, 57 kilometers east of Bangkok being developed under the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s small power producers program.

A power purchase agreement to sell 90 megawatts has been signed with the authority; the remaining power will be sold to industrial users.

The commercial operation date is targeted for the third quarter of 2001.

Natural gas supply to the plant will be provided by the Petroleum Authority of Thailand.

Unocal said this project is its second power plant initiative in Thailand, where a subsidiary already has a 24 percent interest in a 700 megawatt gas-turbine power plant in Si Racha, Chon Buri, scheduled to come on stream within the first quarter of this year.