Bangkok – The latest meeting of the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) has approved the 2018-2037 national power generation plan in accordance with its 20-year national strategy.
Energy Minister Siri Jirapongphan noted that the average selling price within the 20-year period of this plan is in the range of 3.50 – 3.63 baht per unit. He assured the public that their electricity bills over that extended time would be comparable of the bills being issued at present, if not cheaper, for the purpose of attracting investments, especially in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
He explained that decreasing the cost of electricity can be achieved by using technology to create a smart electricity distribution system. The Minister said the administration has assigned the Energy Ministry to review the national power generation plan every five years, in order to maintain power stability for the country.
The government also instructed the ministry to construct power plants in the western region to replace the two now cancelled coal power plant projects, abandoned due to a disagreement with the public. The meeting also agreed to build more Pracharat bio-power plants in the three southern border provinces.
The Minister also mentioned that the government will urgently look into a way to expedite a public solar power project that would allow members of the public to install solar panels, and use and trade the power they generated.
