Bangkok: The Prime Minister chaired a crucial meeting of the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) to address the pressing issue of reducing electricity costs for citizens. As part of the initiative, the council has approved a plan to decrease electricity rates by up to 3 baht for the first 200 units, starting with the August billing cycle.
According to Thai News Agency, this decision comes in light of the conflicts in the Middle East and other regions, which have affected energy stability, underscoring the government's focus on energy infrastructure development. The NEPC has also resolved to remove public lighting costs from citizens' electricity bills, using profits from data centers to offset these expenses. This move is expected to ease the financial burden on the public while maintaining transparency and fairness in the electricity tariff structure.
Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul emphasized that since the current government took office, energy policy has been a top priority. The meeting also focused on preparing the necessary infrastructure to support data centers and the electricity grid, thereby attracting global investors to establish data center businesses in the country. The government's stable policies and readily available energy resources have bolstered investor confidence.
Pol. Gen. Peerapong Suwannachawi, Deputy Minister of Interior, highlighted that the NEPC meeting resulted in a decision to adjust electricity tariffs, with a charge of 3 baht for the first 200 units. Additionally, the council decided to impose tariffs on electricity for the data center industry and remove public electricity charges from citizens' bills. The government plans to manage the budget for these changes through future investments in data centers.
The NEPC's resolution will be forwarded to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for further consultation over a 15-day period before finalizing the pricing structure. To offset public electricity costs, approximately 18 billion baht in revenue from data centers will be redirected. The aim is to implement these changes by the August billing cycle.
The meeting also discussed the implications of rising electricity costs for data centers on investment. A committee chaired by Energy Minister Ekanat Promphan will evaluate investments in Southeast Asia, electricity costs in other countries, and potential measures to address these concerns. The committee will consider the extensive use of Thai resources such as water and electricity, balancing the benefits of massive investment with potential challenges such as job losses.