VO Minister of Energy and Mines, Soulivong Daravong says the government banes the export of coal INTRO: The government has banned the export of coal to keep the natural resource for domestic consumption, according to Minister of Energy and Mines, Soulivong Daravong, one of the main reasons, which made the Lao government stop exports of coal, was due to the fact that Laos needs coal and lignite as a source of energy to generate electricity in Laos STORY: Minister of Energy and Mines, Soulivong Daravong said at the National Assembly Conference in Vientiane on Thursday the 10th of July, emphasising that the move is necessary to ensure the supply of natural resources to meet demand in Laos. He said one of the main reasons, which made the Lao government stop exports of coal, was due to the fact that Laos needs coal and lignite as a source of energy to generate electricity in Laos, adding the government is now conducting a survey for the construction of a coal fired power plant in Huaphan province. Demand for coal in Laos has seen a rapid increase over recent years thanks to an expansion of cement production plants. At present, there are at least six cement factories in Laos. The factories use coal as an energy source for cement production. Cement makers have urged the government to ensure an ample supply of coal as the energy source plays a crucial role in keeping the price of cement low. According to Soulivong Daravong, Laos needs coal fired power plants to secure a stable supply of electricity during both wet and dry seasons, adding that at present, Laos has a number of hydropower plants, which can generate electricity mainly during wet season. He said, Hydropower plants can generate power mainly during wet season due to the supply of water. However, during the dry season, the power plants can not operate efficiently due to lack of water,” To secure a stable supply of power, we need to build coal-fired power plants that can generate power during the dry season, when hydropower plants can not generate electricity. At present, Laos is building a 1,800 MW lignite fired power plant in Xayaboury province. Most of the electricity from the power plant will be exported to Thailand to generate foreign exchange for poverty reduction in the country.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 09:20:47 +0000
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