This week we were visited by Thai nuclear physicist, Dr. Pantip Ampornrat, accompanied by Amin Bouhaddane from VUJE. She is on a study tour in Slovakia to learn about our nuclear industry, which has a wealth of experience spanning nearly 70 years in all stages of nuclear power plant life – construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning.
The Thai Government is considering that up to 10% of the country’s electricity consumption in the future should be generated in nuclear power plants – small modular reactors. Because of possible tsunamis on the west coast and developed tourism on the eastern seaboard, it wants to locate them inland. The current carbon footprint of electricity generated in Thailand is high because 90% of electricity is generated in conventional gas and coal-fired plants, with the remainder in hydro and biogas plants.
However, in order to establish a nuclear programme in the country in the first place, a competent supervisory authority is needed to oversee compliance with nuclear safety. The Thai one is called Atoms for Peace. Nice name for state supervision, isn’t it?
Pantip really liked the Energoland exhibit – she was impressed by the 3D cinema and the interactivity of the exhibits and, in her words, “felt like a kid again”.
