Water

Significance

Water is an essential raw material for the production process of thermal power plants inclusion of controlling the temperatures in the cooling system and the air quality. The efficient management of water resources and discharges will reduce any impacts on the community and the environment regarding risks associated with water, including a risk on water shortages in the area, and a risk on discharged water quality beyond the required standard. Moreover, the current water shortage problem derived from climate change has led BPP to consider the risks associated with water shortages in its production as well as the governmental regulations limiting water consumption and the amount of water released for the industrial sector.

Management Approach

Since the sources of water for steam production of the CHP plants in China are from groundwater and water purchased from external manufacturers. the water management has been emphasized on recycling water as much as possible in order to reduce the amount of water discharge and release water quality in accordance with the laws set and under the water management policy, details of which are as follows:

Managing water consumption with the maximum benefit and looking for opportunities to reduce water consumption, and reuse or recycle the water.
Improving the discharged water quality in accordance with the standards specified by laws and developing measures to prevent chemical leakages and contaminations at its original sources.
Implementing a holistic water management to ensure that water resources consumption for operations be in accordance with the righteousness and effectiveness with no effects to stakeholders in the area.
Assessing risks associated with water resources and setting up measures and operational practices in the event of any emergency in order to reduce the impact on and the recovery of the area.
Developing a surveillance system for both quality and quantity to ensure that water be well managed while the discharged water is compiled with the standards required by laws.
Promoting stakeholder’s participation especially the local communities and the research sector in order to conserve water resources, improve water quality and management in the area.

Performance

Water consumption intensity was 0.877 cubic meters/MWh, decreasing 2.7% when compared to the previous year.

A released water quality was in accordance with the standards required by laws

Key Activities and Projects

1. Water Resources Risks Assessment

Banpu Power assesses its water scarcity risks from the business unit’s locations based on the WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas (2019), a program categorizing areas with water resource risks relating to physics, economics, and legality, as well as anticipating future risks. The 2021 assessment using data on areas facing the water shortage risk in the next 20 years, reveals that all thermal power plants in China are located in the areas with extremely-high water resource risks. The three CHP plants, however, have made improvements to reduce the amount of water consumptions and water discharges in accordance with the government’s regulations. The power plant’s extensions have also installed a recycling system, making them able to reuse all of their released water.

The thermal power plants which are the joint venture companies, namely BLCP Power Plant in Thailand and HPC Power Plant in Lao PDR, have the medium-high levels risks. BPP, therefore, has regularly reviewed the water management plans of all business units to reduce such risks. BLCP Power Plant has invested in a construction of the desalination plant, producing fresh water and tap water from seawater through the Reverse Osmosis Seawater Desalination Plant (ROSDP) with a capacity of 1,000 cubic meters/day. The aim is to alleviate the water shortage crisis in the eastern region, making water sufficient for the people and farmers. Since 15 February, 2020, the desalination plant has reduced 100% of the total fresh water amount BLCP has withdrawn from water sources in the area

HPC Power Plant through the external experts. conducted a study to use models to forecast water balances in the areas and plan for water management from the water resources areas, including Nam Leuk and Nam Khan water sources, as well as set water indicators at various points for surveillance and determine appropriate measures. The sedimentation ponds were constructed within the area to control water quality and recycle water discharges.

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Water Management Policy