Page 13 - AsiaElec Week 02 2021

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

welding process on screen, while feeling the for efficient power consumption by (ERC) yesterday approved a discounted
feedback from the robotic machines to make continuing to use heating equipment amid electricity tariff for households and small
the necessary adjustments. the cold wave while curbing the use of other businesses from February to March as part
“This new technology will greatly improve electric appliances. of the government’s relief measures to help
the efficiency of the welding technicians and Electricity demand for heating has been the people and businesses cope with the new
their work environment, as well as strengthen increasing recently as cold weather continues outbreak of Covid-19 that is crippling the
the welding quality and production capacity.” to hit many regions of the country. In seven economy.
regions, mainly in western Japan, on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong
maximum power demand surpassed the levels Punmeechaow, who is also energy minister,
believed to be seen once in about 10 years, the said one measure is a discounted electricity
SOL AR federation said. tariff to help workers who are working from
Meanwhile, there have been days when home and small businesses.
Singapore’s OCBC offers the amount of electricity generated with solar months will cost a total of 8.202bn baht. Of
He said the discounted tariff over next two
energy dropped due to bad weather, according
solar panel consumer loans to the group. the total, 5bn baht will come from part of the
As of 10 p.m. Sunday, the proportion of
Finance Ministry’s special relief package, and
OCBC Bank has launched a consumer loan power demand to supply capacity came to another 3bn baht will come from the budget
for landed property home owners looking to 98% at Chugoku Electric Power Co., which for state power generation and distribution.
install solar panels on their homes. serves the Chugoku region, and 97% at The Electricity Generating Authority of
The loan facility, which is Singapore’s first, Kyushu Electric Power Co., whose service area Thailand (EGAT), Metropolitan Electricity
provides these owners with a term-financing is the Kyushu region. Authority (MEA), and Provincial Electricity
option for installing solar panels, defraying But there are concerns about decreases Authority (PEA) have set budgets for capital
upfront costs to enable and accelerate clean in inventories of liquefied natural gas, used spending each year.
energy adoption, the bank said in a press as fuel for thermal power generation. In Household and small businesses which
statement on Monday (Jan 11). addition, cold weather is forecast across will benefit from discounted electricity tariffs
Each home owner can borrow up to the nation on Tuesday, after the three-day comprise 23.7mn users or 97% of total power
$30,000, with a tenure of between one and weekend, possibly causing the supply-demand users.
five years to allow for greater flexibility on the balance to become even tighter, industry A household with a power meter indicating
repayment period, it added. sources said. less than 5 amperes and consuming power of
Moreover, the bank has exclusively less than 150 kilowatt hour (units) per month
partnered Sembcorp Industries’ electricity will get power free of charge for unit 1 to unit
retail arm Sembcorp Power to provide home 90. This category has 10.13mn users.
owners with onsite solar panel installation TARIFFS For a household which consumes power of
assessment. Initial consultation costs will be more than 150 units per month, the monthly
borne by Sembcorp Power, OCBC said. Thailand’s ERC to slash bill will be discounted for the amount
OCBC’s head of consumer financial exceeding the total units of its December
services Singapore Sunny Quek said offering power bills in relief bid monthly bill.
this retail loan for solar panels is one of
the key ways to introduce and improve the Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission
accessibility of a green and sustainable energy
source to Singapore’s landed property home
owners.
“This is the first but an important step in
getting people to relook the way they view
electricity and we are glad to pioneer this
loan,” he said.

POLICY

Federation of Electric

Power Companies of Japan
lobbied for power saving

The Federation of Electric Power Companies
of Japan has called for cooperation for power
saving as the supply-demand balance becomes
tight amid a cold snap hitting the country.
The industry group said Sunday on its
website that it wants customers to cooperate

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