Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has set up a committee to look at
immediate issues, such as distributing necessities and boats to flood
victims, as well as EM balls to treat filthy water.
Pichai has assigned senior officials to deal only with the flood's
impact. For example, the Energy Business Department is looking at the
gas station situation, as several of them have closed down.
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has been asked
to provide adequate power during the flood disaster, while PTT is
ensuring supplies of oil, natural gas and cooking gas.
Pichai has not yet asked officials to evaluate the impact of the floods
on the energy industry or to prepare necessary measures for preventing
flood damage to the industry in the future, the source said.
"The devastating flood is expected to reduce demand for oil, natural
gas and electricity, as economic growth will be slower," the source
said.
The ministry has not yet made an assessment of the cost of the damage to the industry, he said.
However, the ministry has initiated measures to support the recovery
efforts of industrial parks. Companies would be encouraged to change to
new equipment that could help them save energy costs, he said.
Suthep Liumsirijarern, director-general of the Energy Policy and
Planning Office, said the ministry has sent its representatives to work
with the Finance Ministry on the implications of the flood on the energy
industry.
The National Energy Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra, will propose long-term measures to mitigate flood
disaster on the energy industry.
Direk Lavansiri, chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission, said the
regulator would not raise the automatic tariff adjustment mechanism, or
Ft charge, between January and April to help flood victims. The cost of
holding the Ft at its current rate, estimated at Bt7.74 billion, would
be shouldered by Egat, he said.
Flood victims would be exempted from the monthly service charge. They
can also delay payment of their electric bills for three months, he
said.
Manufacturers would also be charged at lower rates, he said.
Non-commercial electricity consumption would also be exempted from the
charge, he added.
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