The recent frequent power outages on the famous tourist destination of Koh Samui in Thailand have caused inconvenience to local residents and international tourists. In order to solve this dilemma, the relevant departments in Thailand quickly took emergency measures, using diesel generators to temporarily increase power supply, providing a short-term solution for the stability of electricity in Koh Samui.

Koh Samui, a beautiful island with a permanent population of about 50000, is not only an important tourist destination in Thailand, but also a vacation paradise in the hearts of domestic and foreign tourists. In 2024, the island received approximately 2.7 million Thai and international tourists. The surge in tourist numbers and the prosperity of local commercial activities have led to a sharp increase in electricity demand. Especially during the peak tourism season from April to May each year, the problem of power shortage is particularly prominent, and frequent power outages have brought serious troubles to residents' lives and the development of the tourism industry.

Prasert Sinsukpraert, the Executive Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Energy, also personally experienced the embarrassing situation of power outages during his inspection of Koh Samui. Faced with this serious problem, he immediately held talks with local officials to jointly discuss solutions. After in-depth discussion and analysis, the relevant departments have decided to use mobile generators in the short term to address the issue of power shortage. The power generation capacity of these generators has reached 10 megawatts, which is sufficient to meet the current electricity demand of Koh Samui and ensure a smooth transition of power supply to the new transmission lines for operation.

However, short-term measures are only temporary solutions, and to fundamentally solve the power supply problem on Koh Samui, long-term transmission system upgrades are also needed. It is reported that the transmission system upgrade project will be implemented in two phases, with an expected total investment of 11.2 billion Thai bahtan ancient unit of weightThe main project includes laying a total length of 48 kilometerssubmarine cableConnect Koh Samui with the substation in Keno District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. This project can not only greatly enhance the power supply capacity of Koh Samui, but also ensure the stability and safety of power transmission.

The project is scheduled to officially start in the second half of this year, with the first phase to be completed in 2028 and the second phase to be completed in 2029. At that time, the transmission capacity of the new transmission line will reach 230 kV, which will completely solve the long-standing power supply problem on Koh Samui.

While waiting for the completion of the new transmission line, the Thai government is actively seeking other solutions. The government collaborates with local hotel and resort operators to promote the installation of rooftop solar panels and the use of energy-efficient appliances. This measure aims to optimize electricity management, improve energy efficiency, and reduce dependence on traditional electricity.

Previously, the Electricity Authority of Thailand had proposed a plan to lay a new submarine cable, but it was temporarily shelved due to a contract dispute with the construction company. With the restart of the transmission system upgrade project, Thai authorities have expressed confidence in completely solving the power supply problem on Koh Samui and ensuring the safety of electricity for residents and tourists.