Thai Ministry of Energy Files Lawsuit Over Illegal Fuel Storage at Data Center

The Ministry of Energy in Thailand has taken legal action against a data center in Bangkok for illegally storing approximately 200,000 liters of diesel fuel intended for backup power. The discovery was made following complaints from local residents. Officials from the Ministry of Energy inspected the data center located on Rama 9 Road in the Huai Khwang district and found six large fuel tanks in the basement, each with a capacity of 40,000 liters, indicating a substantial reserve of diesel fuel. This storage was found to be in violation of Thailand's Fuel Control Act. The legal department of the Ministry of Energy has filed a complaint at the Makkasan Police Station against the data center and its employees. Under the Fuel Control Act, unauthorized fuel storage can lead to a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine of up to 200,000 baht. Concurrently, officials from the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and the Huai Khwang District Office conducted their own inspection. Water samples were collected from drainage pipes for analysis of contaminants. Local residents reported a persistent smell of oil emanating from the area for over a month. According to regulations, storing more than 15,000 liters of fuel within Bangkok requires permission from the Ministry of Energy. However, the ministry has adopted a policy of not issuing permits for fuel storage to data centers. For the few data centers that previously held permits, these will not be renewed upon expiration. The Ministry of Energy plans to send a letter to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) regarding this issue. Furthermore, the Minister of Energy is scheduled to attend a meeting on data centers on September 4th, where he is expected to voice concerns about the potential impacts of fuel storage on surrounding communities in urban areas, expressing disapproval of such practices for backup power. Source: INN News