Thailand signs contract for new electrical substation, transmission projects

In order to increase its competitiveness in attracting investments, Thailand is moving forward with an improvement program for a series of electrical power system substation and transmission projects to improve the reliability of electricity supply for industrial customers.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with a consortium of Sumitomo Corporation, Black & Veatch and Italian-Thai Development PCL (ITD) for the delivery of the Chachoengsao 2 Substation and the Pluak Daeng Substation Improvement works.

Working as a collaborative team, the consortium will deliver the complete supply, installation, construction and engineering of all facilities. Sumitomo will be in charge of the main equipment supply while ITD is responsible for the extensive civil and building works for the project.

Black & Veatch is responsible for the EPC balance-of-plant scope for each facility.

The consortium will begin work in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok, to build a new 500/230/115 kilovolt (kV) Substation including Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) equipment at 500 kV and 230 kV. A 115 kV air insulated substation is also included in the Project. In addition, the project will also supply equipment for upgrades at the existing 500 kV Pluak Daeng Substation.

“Of the three inter-related electricity supply pillars – generation, transmission and distribution – investing in transmission can significantly improve the reliability of supply,” said Rick Crowdis, Vice President and Director of Power Delivery, Asia Pacific, Black & Veatch.

The substations will also feature designs to enable remote operation and maintenance, key aspects of a growing focus on smart integrated infrastructure.