BANGKOK, June 12 (UPI) — Thailand is leading the way for Southeast Asia in a quest to move toward nuclear power to meet rising energy demand.

While many countries have talked about building nuclear plants, even making initial contacts with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Thai authorities say two nuclear plants will come online by 2021. Each will pump 2,000 megawatts, The Star Online reports.

“Thailand cannot depend too much on natural gas because the gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand will run out very soon,” Energy Minister Piyavasti Amranand said. “Coal is cheap but the environmental costs are unquantifiable.”

Thailand has hired six experts for a planning study, World Nuclear News reports.

“The country made a big mistake 15 years ago scrapping plans to build a nuclear power plant because of opposition,” he said.

The Star reports the new plants would double the country’s generating capacity.

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