Egco Applies for Thai LNG Import Licence: Press

Bangkok-listed utility Electricity Generating Public Company (Egco) has submitted an application with the government to import LNG, according to a November 30 report in Bangkok Post.

If the company gets the licence to import the fuel, it will be the sixth firm to do so, said Egco president Thepparat Theppitak. Egco applied to the Energy Regulatory Commission earlier this month for permission to ship 250,000 metric tons/year of LNG supply to its three proposed gas-fired power plants, the newspaper reported.

Thepparat said that the company planned to import the fuel in order to manage the price risk by combining long-term and short-term purchase contracts. Egco also plans to coordinate with other LNG shippers to make purchases.

At present five companies hold LNG import and trade licences: state-run PTT and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, as well as private entities Gulf Energy Development, B Grimm LNG, and Hin Kong Power Holding.

Thailand has been liberalising its gas market and in recent years has allowed private firms to directly import LNG.