Thread: Longest blackout in Thai history

BANGKOK, 18 March 2017 (NNT) – The longest blackout in Thailand happened for nine hours and 20 minutes on 18 March 1978, causing a significant damage to the country’s economy.

Failures at a Phra Nakhon Tai power plant on 18 March 2978 where all 4 1,030-megawatt generators shut down unexpectedly caused the biggest blackout in Thailand’s history, affecting 77 percent of the country's electricity uses and causing domino effects to other generators in the country.

The incident occurred from 7:40 a.m. and took approximately an hour for the electricity to partially come back in the northern region, 15 minutes in the northeastern region, an hour in the central region, and two hours in the metropolitan area. It took a total of 9 hours and 20 minutes for the electricity system to be entirely fixed.

A recent blackout incident then occurred on 21 March 2016 in 14 southern provinces due to a malfunction in the system. This blackout lasted from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the area.

A study by Chulalongkorn University shows if a national blackout occurred again, it would cause the country an approximate of one billion baht in economic damage per hour, even higher if it was during the peak power-using period. The incident would cause major economic consequences and affect the country’s image in the eye of foreign investors.

The government is now working to enhance the country’s electricity generating capacity and the backup system to ensure immediate restoration of electricity in case of emergency. Thailand now has sufficient reserve electricity sources but they are mostly condensed in the central, northern, and northeastern regions, requiring electricity to be fed through live wires to the southern region, causing vulnerability should the wire become damaged, thus the enhancement of the local electricity generating system is required in the southern region, with the transmission system from the central region only a backup system if needed. -

http://nwnt.prd.go.th/CenterWeb/News....hZFqgOCY.dpuf

Well we had 14 hrs last sunday, and 1 or 2 hours every day, thankfully I have a generator, so the above is well out of date, the usual bullshit?

^ Leading up to pressure for a coal-fired power station down south.

Originally Posted by mykthemin

Well we had 14 hrs last sunday, and 1 or 2 hours every day, thankfully I have a generator, so the above is well out of date, the usual bullshit?

No shit. I had 13 hours yesterday.

The electric during the week is pretty decent in Mandalay. The weekends are a different matter, I'm glad my gaff has a decent generator. It seems to go out for a couple of hours at a time throughout the day lately.

Allegedly, top crony Steve Law was supposed to be building a big hydro-electric plant but the plan has been on hold for years due to him falling out with the junta over his Chinese connections. The project would have messed up the local environment and life for the locals so I am OK with a few blackouts

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

No shit. I had 13 hours yesterday.

Or, 11 hours with power. Hang in there Davis, running water can't be far off now .

Seriously though, perpetual brownouts + no water supply was one of the reasons I bailed from the PI. I had a small genset in the back yard but it wasn't big enough to run aircons, and starting/stopping the fucking thing 5 times a day got old real fast. More so as 7 times from 10 it'd be pissing it down with rain. That's 3rd world shit, no thanks.

Originally Posted by Headworx

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

No shit. I had 13 hours yesterday.

Or, 11 hours with power. Hang in there Davis, running water can't be far off now .

Seriously though, perpetual brownouts + no water supply was one of the reasons I bailed from the PI. I had a small genset in the back yard but it wasn't big enough to run aircons, and starting/stopping the fucking thing 5 times a day got old real fast. More so as 7 times from 10 it'd be pissing it down with rain. That's 3rd world shit, no thanks.

It's not that bad. Water supply is fine. We generally have one or two long, scheduled brownouts a month. Other than those, the power is more or less ok. I have a generator big enough to power the entire house and outbuildings so I can live with it.

Originally Posted by misskit

Failures at a Phra Nakhon Tai power plant on 18 March 2978 where all 4 1,030-megawatt generators shut down unexpectedly caused the biggest blackout in Thailand’s history, affecting 77 percent of the country's electricity uses and causing domino effects to other generators in the country.

Was this scary news to be published on 1st April? in 2978?
Where is this "Phra Nakhon Tai power plant" located? In Petburi or Ayuthaya Province?
If the latter is the case then it could be in Wang Noi power plant driven by gas turbines - not in 1979.
There is no gas turbine block 1,030 MW in the world, and in 1979 (2979) in Thailand hardly any generating blocks over 200 MW.
Only nuclear blocks can be 1,000 MW, perhaps in 2979 in Thailand?

We had 50 hours a few years back.

Life without electricity. | Family life in rural Thailand & Australia

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Was this scary news to be published on 1st April? in 2978?

Indeed, there's something amiss with the report.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Where is this "Phra Nakhon Tai power plant" located? In Petburi or Ayuthaya Province?

Samut Prakan apparently.

โรงไฟฟ้าพระนครใต้ - Thetsaban Samrong Tai 13 Rd., Bang Prong, Muang Samut prakarn, Samut Prakan, 10270

Google map with the location.
https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Phra+Nakorn+Tai+Power+Station

We had 3.5 hours last night and I may finally act on the threat of finally purchasing a generator. I looked at a diesel powered 10KW set a couple of years ago for 45K baht and probably should have bought it. Now I am seeing 6.5 KW gen sets for in the mid 50s. I want to be able to run one AC, house lights, two fridges and possibly a TV.

With rainy season a few months away, I need to start shopping again. Any suggestions out there?

Originally Posted by Klondyke

There is no gas turbine block 1,030 MW in the world, and in 1979 (2979) in Thailand hardly any generating blocks over 200 MW.
Only nuclear blocks can be 1,000 MW, perhaps in 2979 in Thailand?

It looks like it was an oil fired power station in 1978.

https://www.egat.co.th/images/inform...powerplant.pdf

The Power plant is known as Bangkok South (Tai), running first on fuel oil, later changed to combined cycle with natural gas. Each block comprises of 2 gas turbines + 1 steam turbine fueled by the exhaust gas heat from gas turbines.
First refurbished with 2 blocks, later one block more.
The MW were completely wrong.
South Bangkok Power Plant

Originally Posted by Neverna

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Originally Posted by misskit

Failures at a Phra Nakhon Tai power plant on 18 March 2978 where all 4 1,030-megawatt generators shut down unexpectedly caused the biggest blackout in Thailand’s history, affecting 77 percent of the country's electricity uses and causing domino effects to other generators in the country.

Was this scary news to be published on 1st April? in 2978?

1978.

It's a typo in the report. The first sentence of the report says: "The longest blackout in Thailand happened for nine hours and 20 minutes on 18 March 1978..."


.

I believe this article is in reference to historical content and alluding to a country-wide power outage for hours on end....

Though, nothing of great significance can match the compared dates - as a widely distributed country blackout - but power outages of some magnitude or another occur frequently throughout every moobaan, tambon, amphoe, or provincial level....and usually are associated with the onset the first couple months of the rainy season, where atmospheric conditions are quite unstable....sometimes extending freak storms well into October/November.

Everyone here has always lived with brief or lengthy periods of electric shortages throughout any given year - be it weather related or cause of power authority inefficiency. It is what it is....

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

run one AC, house lights, two fridges and possibly a TV.

I have a had a small 2kw portable Honda for years. Works well. Not near enough power for your needs but 5kw should work for you.

https://powerproducts.honda.th.com/d...uctId=17760262

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Everyone here has always lived with brief or lengthy periods of electric shortages throughout any given year - be it weather related or cause of power authority inefficiency. It is what it is....

Maybe in butt-fuck nowhere, but not where I am. Besides unavoidable outages when lines come down in storms or what-have-you, the power here might go off for 10-20 minutes 2 or 3 times a year. Hasn't gone off for 1 second so far this year.

Originally Posted by Headworx

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Everyone here has always lived with brief or lengthy periods of electric shortages throughout any given year - be it weather related or cause of power authority inefficiency. It is what it is....

Maybe in butt-fuck nowhere, but not where I am. Besides unavoidable outages when lines come down in storms or what-have-you, the power here might go off for 10-20 minutes 2 or 3 times a year. Hasn't gone off for 1 second so far this year.

Occidental city slicker living the dream.

Must be nice.
[not]