Electricity bills set to stay steady despite global turmoil
In an exclusive update from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), consumers can breathe a sigh of relief as Secretary-General Komkrit Tantravanich guarantees minimal disruption to household electricity bills.
Komkrit reassures the public that from May through August, electricity rates will hover between 4.20 to 4.25 baht per unit. Moreover, this promising price stability is linked to a surge in natural gas supply from the Gulf of Thailand, projected to hit a whopping 800 million cubic feet per day in April.
Despite a dip in natural gas prices to US$10 to US$11 per million BTU, the estimated electricity rate excludes subsidies from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), according to Komkrit.
If all goes according to plan with Gulf LNG production and the global price steadies at US$10 to 11 per million BTU, the average electricity price for the entire year will be a mere 4.25 baht per unit, reported Thai PBS World.
The electricity rate for the first four months of this year has already been locked in at 4.18 baht per unit. Komkrit squashes any hopes of a 3.60 baht per unit dream, insisting that the commission has slashed production costs to the bone.
In related news, in November last year, the ERC proposed three options for determining electricity tariffs for the first quarter of this year. The electricity tariffs could potentially increase to a peak of 6 baht per unit. The ERC disclosed that if there are proposals lower than these three options, it would have to reconvene for further discussions.
In other news, the Ministry of Energy, led by Deputy Prime Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, is rolling out an unprecedented lifeline for truck operators, public transport, and taxi drivers grappling with soaring natural gas prices for vehicles (NGV).
Pirapan announced the formation of a dedicated working group aimed at tackling the escalating issue of surging NGV prices. The superhero in this saga, PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), is stepping up to the plate, extending NGV price assistance for benefit cardholders in not one but two dynamic phases.
