Coal Excavation in Rainy Season is planned to Adequately Supply Fuel for Power Generation

Abstract

The Power Generation Company Limited is a power plant that uses thermal energy from coal fuel to boil the water and generate high pressure stream to drive the turbines and generators. The power plant is situated in Hongsa city, Xayabouli province of Lao PDR which its current capacity is 1,800 MW. Thus, the coal is crucial for electricity generation. From many years of power plant operation, during the rainy season, the coal quantity is not enough to generate electricity. The researcher then focuses the study on coal production in the rainy season. This study aims to analyse and find the solution to have enough coal to generate electricity in the rainy season. The applied theories, such as strategic risk, contract management and haul road design, data collection of coal production, are taken into account and analysis for solution as well as causes and problems of production in the rainy season.

The study result shows that the hauling road that is used for transportation from the start to destination with subsidence from rainfall disrupts coal production. The study has shown the solution to use limestone 1-3 inches in size to compress into road surface at thickness of 30-50 cm. as well as constructing drainage system to prolong the road condition in the rainy season. From these solutions, coal production will not be interrupted, and enough coal quantity will be supplied to the power plant as demand.