Professor Dr.Sippanondha Ketudat, Chairman of the National Economic and Social Development Board, in his capacity as the Prachuap Khirikhan Province Power Plant Project Public Hearing Committee Chairman disclosed the result of the Bar Bor Nok Power Plant Project meeting held during September, 10-11, 1999.
The Committee Chairman stated that the power plant construction project has been planned to be established at Bar Boar Nok, Tambon Bor Nok, Muang District, Prachuap Khirikhan Province. The project is one of 7 Independent Power Producer (IPP) Projects where the private sector were encouraged by the government to undertake the bid as an independent power producer. the Gulf Power Generation Co., Ltd. is the project owner.
The purpose of the public hearing is to gather ideas and information from stake-holders and concerned agencies by following the 1996 Office of the Prime minister's regulations on collecting information from public hearing process. The public hearing has 4 important issues; namely, ocean ecology system and fishery, air pollution, social-politics as well as stability - costs and benefits of the public. The result of the public hearing meeting can be summarized as follows.
1. Marine and fisheries ecology issues: Stake-holders voiced their opinins as follows:
- Public agencies representatives have similar opinions in which several guidelines and measures designated by the government will help solve several problems concerning the impact from marine ecology and health of the fisheries on the ways in which fishermen make a living, electricity generation from marine organisms. Several measures will be designated as the company's guideline for solving the problems.
- Supervisors/specialists/academicians agreed that the analysis result of environmental impact has no detail concerning marine resource quantity, and loss of immature commercial species and of plankton from pumping sea water to cool electrical generating facilities. In so doing, the research must be conducted to find out loss and impact on lifecycle of marine organisms. Several measures will be designated as the company's guideline for solving the problems.
- Supervisors/specialists/academicians agreed that the analysis result of environmental impact has no detail concerning marine resource quantity, and loss of immature commercial species and of plankton from pumping sea water to cool electrical generating facilities. In so doing, the research must be conducted to find out loss and impact on lifecycle of marine organisms and resolution guidelines to create marine ecology balance and to assist the individual impact from the project by promoting prosperity in several areas; namely, the release of marine organisms for breeding, along with compensation for losses paid to fishermen by establishing fund to be implemented by tri - lateral party.
The opponents agreed that the project implementation will have an impact on marine resource in both living and lifecycle through sea water pumping and temperature of the water releasing from the power plant. Theses later will have an effect on fishermen's way to earn their livings.
2. Air pollution issue
- The Government representatives simultaneously agreed that the implementation of the Bor Nok Power Plant will cause air pollution through the releasing of Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide and some Oxide of Nitrogen. Because of the geographical phenomena and the coal using by the power plant has low sulphur which made the air pollution lower than standard point so having no impact on community of Bor Nok or Sam Roi Yod. Moreover, the control system was established by the company and concerned agencies in central, regional, and local areas to gether with the people at Bor Nok to examine air pollution by monitoring and reporting.
- Supervisors/specialists/academicians agreed that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reported by the company still has low quality and must be reviewed in several areas in order to reduce the impact from project implementation. These in clude:
1. Dust protection system must be established for coal transportation by the barge.
2. Cost-benefit program must be applied for ash elimination. Moreover, the area for the mound of ash must be clearly set and dust protecting system must be organized to solve the dust problem.
3. Fuel gas desulfurization or fluidized base system for sulphur elimination must be established.
4. The level of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) in the community must be measured at Bor nok community and Kao Sam Roi Yod National Park.
- Stake-holders: The supporters agreed that the implementation of construction project is appropriated becase of:
1. The power plant is located at an appropriate location.
2. Pollution level releasing from the power plant is designated lower than the World Bank's standard rate.
3. Using high quality of coal fuel that have low sulphur as well as having permanent provision resource and sufficient for long term usage.
4. Coal transportation system, dust protecting system together with ash and dust elimination system are designed in line with the standard of public agencies.
5. Model is analized by using official information under the real climate in order to build up confidence for project implementation security.
6. Coal transportation by the barge with in-house garbage disposal system for reducing the service cost will help eliminate pollution.
7. Building up confidence on air quality through setting up 4 air control stations in the area of Bor Nok, Kao Sam Roi Yod National Park, Kui Buri and community in Prachuap Khirikhan Province.
8. The company is very pleased to support the community by providing fund for protecting the impact from project implementation.
The opponents disagreed with the construction project because:
1. It has an impact on the prosperity of natural resource together with fisheries and agriculture activites.
2. People life quality and environment at Kao Sam Roi Yod National Park will be effected by air pollution.
3. It is concerned that low quality of coal from Mianmar will be utilized in the power plant.
4. It is concerned that pollution control system will not be efficient enough.
5. This public hearing was undertaken with the wrong procedure and without loaw protection.
3. Issues on social, politics, security and cost-benefit for the public
- Public sector representatives agreed that security of infrastructure system is the major criteria for economic and social development. The transparency is needed for projects approval to be in line with rules and regulation.
- Supervisors/specialist/academicians agreed that community security is based on people participation in every process. However, the capital cost must be reduced by applying energy recycle strategy insteady of using coal energy.
- Stake-holders: The supporters agreed that establishing the power plant will help create jobs and income for community as well as local prosperity. Furthermore, tourism and industrial development must be undertaken in line with clear zoning of tourism and industry. However, central agency must be designated for supporting the implementation efficiency of tri - lateral party. Moreover, the supporters see to it that the company is pleased to follow all of the community's suggestion in order to eliminate dissent.
The opponents stated that Prachuap Khirikhan Province must be developed in the areas of tourism and fisheries. Social capital must be considered for project cost projection. Furthermore, the people are concerned regarding the company's conformity with the suggestion and measure of the EIA.
The Committee Chairman finally siad that presently the Public Hearing Committee is formulating overall public hearing meeting result to present to the Minister to the Prime Minister's Office (Dr.Savit Bhotiwihok) to be considered later.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 14, No. 10 : October 1999--
The Committee Chairman stated that the power plant construction project has been planned to be established at Bar Boar Nok, Tambon Bor Nok, Muang District, Prachuap Khirikhan Province. The project is one of 7 Independent Power Producer (IPP) Projects where the private sector were encouraged by the government to undertake the bid as an independent power producer. the Gulf Power Generation Co., Ltd. is the project owner.
The purpose of the public hearing is to gather ideas and information from stake-holders and concerned agencies by following the 1996 Office of the Prime minister's regulations on collecting information from public hearing process. The public hearing has 4 important issues; namely, ocean ecology system and fishery, air pollution, social-politics as well as stability - costs and benefits of the public. The result of the public hearing meeting can be summarized as follows.
1. Marine and fisheries ecology issues: Stake-holders voiced their opinins as follows:
- Public agencies representatives have similar opinions in which several guidelines and measures designated by the government will help solve several problems concerning the impact from marine ecology and health of the fisheries on the ways in which fishermen make a living, electricity generation from marine organisms. Several measures will be designated as the company's guideline for solving the problems.
- Supervisors/specialists/academicians agreed that the analysis result of environmental impact has no detail concerning marine resource quantity, and loss of immature commercial species and of plankton from pumping sea water to cool electrical generating facilities. In so doing, the research must be conducted to find out loss and impact on lifecycle of marine organisms. Several measures will be designated as the company's guideline for solving the problems.
- Supervisors/specialists/academicians agreed that the analysis result of environmental impact has no detail concerning marine resource quantity, and loss of immature commercial species and of plankton from pumping sea water to cool electrical generating facilities. In so doing, the research must be conducted to find out loss and impact on lifecycle of marine organisms and resolution guidelines to create marine ecology balance and to assist the individual impact from the project by promoting prosperity in several areas; namely, the release of marine organisms for breeding, along with compensation for losses paid to fishermen by establishing fund to be implemented by tri - lateral party.
The opponents agreed that the project implementation will have an impact on marine resource in both living and lifecycle through sea water pumping and temperature of the water releasing from the power plant. Theses later will have an effect on fishermen's way to earn their livings.
2. Air pollution issue
- The Government representatives simultaneously agreed that the implementation of the Bor Nok Power Plant will cause air pollution through the releasing of Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide and some Oxide of Nitrogen. Because of the geographical phenomena and the coal using by the power plant has low sulphur which made the air pollution lower than standard point so having no impact on community of Bor Nok or Sam Roi Yod. Moreover, the control system was established by the company and concerned agencies in central, regional, and local areas to gether with the people at Bor Nok to examine air pollution by monitoring and reporting.
- Supervisors/specialists/academicians agreed that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reported by the company still has low quality and must be reviewed in several areas in order to reduce the impact from project implementation. These in clude:
1. Dust protection system must be established for coal transportation by the barge.
2. Cost-benefit program must be applied for ash elimination. Moreover, the area for the mound of ash must be clearly set and dust protecting system must be organized to solve the dust problem.
3. Fuel gas desulfurization or fluidized base system for sulphur elimination must be established.
4. The level of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) in the community must be measured at Bor nok community and Kao Sam Roi Yod National Park.
- Stake-holders: The supporters agreed that the implementation of construction project is appropriated becase of:
1. The power plant is located at an appropriate location.
2. Pollution level releasing from the power plant is designated lower than the World Bank's standard rate.
3. Using high quality of coal fuel that have low sulphur as well as having permanent provision resource and sufficient for long term usage.
4. Coal transportation system, dust protecting system together with ash and dust elimination system are designed in line with the standard of public agencies.
5. Model is analized by using official information under the real climate in order to build up confidence for project implementation security.
6. Coal transportation by the barge with in-house garbage disposal system for reducing the service cost will help eliminate pollution.
7. Building up confidence on air quality through setting up 4 air control stations in the area of Bor Nok, Kao Sam Roi Yod National Park, Kui Buri and community in Prachuap Khirikhan Province.
8. The company is very pleased to support the community by providing fund for protecting the impact from project implementation.
The opponents disagreed with the construction project because:
1. It has an impact on the prosperity of natural resource together with fisheries and agriculture activites.
2. People life quality and environment at Kao Sam Roi Yod National Park will be effected by air pollution.
3. It is concerned that low quality of coal from Mianmar will be utilized in the power plant.
4. It is concerned that pollution control system will not be efficient enough.
5. This public hearing was undertaken with the wrong procedure and without loaw protection.
3. Issues on social, politics, security and cost-benefit for the public
- Public sector representatives agreed that security of infrastructure system is the major criteria for economic and social development. The transparency is needed for projects approval to be in line with rules and regulation.
- Supervisors/specialist/academicians agreed that community security is based on people participation in every process. However, the capital cost must be reduced by applying energy recycle strategy insteady of using coal energy.
- Stake-holders: The supporters agreed that establishing the power plant will help create jobs and income for community as well as local prosperity. Furthermore, tourism and industrial development must be undertaken in line with clear zoning of tourism and industry. However, central agency must be designated for supporting the implementation efficiency of tri - lateral party. Moreover, the supporters see to it that the company is pleased to follow all of the community's suggestion in order to eliminate dissent.
The opponents stated that Prachuap Khirikhan Province must be developed in the areas of tourism and fisheries. Social capital must be considered for project cost projection. Furthermore, the people are concerned regarding the company's conformity with the suggestion and measure of the EIA.
The Committee Chairman finally siad that presently the Public Hearing Committee is formulating overall public hearing meeting result to present to the Minister to the Prime Minister's Office (Dr.Savit Bhotiwihok) to be considered later.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 14, No. 10 : October 1999--