Thailand: Power charge tipped to drop

Thailand: Power charge tipped to drop

State utilities are likely to lower the monthly service charge of 38.22 baht
for electricity bills because of falling operating costs, according to the
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The increase in consumers paying bills online and via e-banking has reduced
the need for counter officials, reducing the costs for the Metropolitan
Electricity Authority and the Provincial Electricity Authority.

ERC commissioner Veeraphol Jirapraditkul said authorities are considering
reducing the service charge.

He said the lower rate will be discussed and finalised this year and start
by next January.

The service charge reduction is expected to help offset rising electricity
bills caused by the recent fuel tariff rate (Ft) increase, which was revised
to match the rising price of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which makes up 70%
of Thailand's total power-generating resources.

The rise in Ft rate in the second period of this year (May-August) was
approved by the ERC to rise by 12.52 satang per kilowatt-hour.

Meanwhile, extremely hot weather pushed power demand to reach a new peak of
30,303 megawatts on May 4.

The Electricity Generating Authority (Egat) had previously forecast a peak
of 30,972MW on May 5. But a depression that hit Bangkok earlier in May
brought down usage slightly.

Egat estimates that the year's peak could be 32,000MW, up 8% from 29,618MW
on May 11 last year.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1244558/power-charge-tipped-to-drop

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com