Eknat unlocks the solar rooftop quota for unlimited electricity purchase, increasing by 500 megawatts each time. This supports converting home roofs into power plants, allowing sales back to the state at 2.20 baht per unit, alongside restructuring electricity tariffs to assist residential households.
On 29 April 2026, Mr. Eknat Prompan, Minister of Energy, revealed after the first 2026 meeting of the National Energy Policy Committee (NEPC), chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, that the committee approved measures to promote clean energy use and reduce living costs. A key resolution was unlocking the quota for purchasing electricity from public solar sources, which was previously limited to only 90 megawatts nationwide—a very low amount that hindered those wishing to install solar systems.
The quota will be expanded by 500 megawatts each time.
The new resolution allows immediate incremental increases of 500 megawatts. If applications reach full quota, another 500 megawatts will be added continuously without limit. This encourages the public to generate electricity from their home roofs for their own use and to sell surplus power back to the grid as much as possible.
Regarding purchase details, citizens can sell surplus electricity back to the system at 2.20 baht per unit, a price close to what the Electricity Authority pays for solar farms. The program is expected to open for electricity sales proposals after June, with purchase contracts lasting 10 years.
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Additionally, the permit application process has been streamlined into a single point of contact (One Stop Service) via the Provincial Electricity Authority or the Metropolitan Electricity Authority. For installations intended solely for self-use, the process will be expedited to complete within 7 days. If electricity is also sold back to the grid, completion will be within 30 days.
Regarding investment support measures, Mr. Eknat said the Ministry of Energy is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to secure funding for solar panel installment payments, aiming for monthly installments cheaper than regular electricity bills. He also ordered the Electricity Authority to study a project to install solar panels free of charge on homeowners’ roofs for those unwilling to invest themselves. The Authority will sell solar electricity back to homeowners at affordable rates, such as no more than 3 baht per unit, to help reduce household expenses.
21 million households to benefit from cheaper electricity.
Besides the solar measures, the government has approved a new progressive electricity tariff structure to reduce costs for residential homes specifically. The first 200 units will be priced below 3 baht per unit, benefiting over 21 million households (more than 90% of the country) who consume up to 500 units per month or roughly 2,200 baht in electricity bills, enabling them to pay less for electricity.
"This tariff restructuring is calculated within residential groups only and does not shift the burden to the industrial sector (no cross-subsidy). It will be implemented continuously over four years to better reflect current lifestyle contexts and ensure fairness for the public," said Mr. Eknat. Mr. Eknat concluded his remarks.