BANGKOK, THAILAND — This project should help improve both system reliability and quality of power for the local community.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids have announced that they are developing an advanced digitally-driven microgrid for the Betong district in Thailand’s Yala province with local EPC partner, RSS 2016 Public Company Limited for the local utility, Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).
The existing Betong District distribution system currently often suffers from outages and network interruptions. As part of it’s overall electric power network development initiative, Thailand aims to develop a secure, reliable, high-quality electric power network. Accordingly PEA plans to include distributed generators and renewable energy resources in order to create a microgrid for Betong, which is supposed to be commissioned in 2022.
Hitachi ABB are going to implement both their e-mesh energy storage system and distribution management system, which should improve both system reliability and quality of power. The goal is to reduce peak demand, power losses in the distribution line, and levels of greenhouse gases.
"The Betong district is a valley surrounded by mountains on the Malaysian border. It has a 33 kV distribution line and 115 kV transmission line serving both urban and rural areas. The lines pass through forested areas, where tree damage often causes interruption and outages, as well as challenges in power quality. It is difficult for the utility to identify the cause of the interruption and takes a long time to recover the power system from interruption. The microgrid gives us a new way to address the problems." said Mr. Supachai Ek-un, Governor of Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).
"This initiative will bring secure, high quality power to the coverage area. In addition, this project also readies the electric power network to support distributed generators and future very small power producers (VSPPs)" said Mr. Pairoj Sirirat, CEO of RSS 2016 Public Company Limited.
Source: Hitachi ABB