Power bill price speculation 'inconclusive'

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) says it is too early to conclude that electricity prices will fall as more data centres are developed in the country.

- YUTHANA PRAIWAN

Thailand's data centre industry is still in its early stages with no clear figures on consumption patterns or peak demand, Mr Kan noted. 123RF.COM

Kan Saengruang, deputy secretarygeneral of the ERC, said that projections by stock market analysts suggesting lower power bills remained "inconclusive".

Analysts argue that the arrival of electricity-hungry data centres could reshape the country's power payment system, potentially easing costs for households and businesses.

At the centre of the debate is the availability payment (AP), a mechanism under power purchase agreements (PPAs) that requires the government to pay electricity producers for contracted supply, even if actual usage is lower. While the AP guarantees a stable electricity supply during demand surges, it also raises tariffs, which directly affect consumer bills.