Peerapun points out vulnerabilities in the PDP 2026 draft plan, warning of high investment risks that will burden Thai citizens. He says it is unlikely that electricity costs can be kept below 4 baht per unit. He proposes reviewing private power purchase contracts and insists electricity should be a public service, not a profit-making business.
12 Sep 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Peerapun Salirathavibhaga, leader of the United Thai Nation Party, and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, commented on the draft Power Development Plan of Thailand, or PDP, which the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) of the Ministry of Energy has opened for public consultation. He noted issues requiring review, including electricity demand forecasts, fuel mix proportions, power plant investments, and burdens from private power purchase contracts. He questioned the feasibility of an average electricity price of about 3.82 baht per unit amid high costs of new technologies.
Peerapun further stated that the PDP serves as the starting point for determining electricity demand, which leads to setting production capacity, production processes, and investors before reflecting on national electricity costs. Therefore, overestimating demand could result in unnecessary investments, causing higher electricity bills for the public, while private operators still benefit under the plan's framework.
He also revealed that Thailand currently has about 55,000 MW of electricity capacity, while average consumption is around 25,000 MW and peak demand is 36,000–37,000 MW. Thus, the country has significant reserve capacity, warranting careful review of the need for additional power purchase contracts. Regarding the 12-year PDP forecast (2026–2037) planning to add 50,000 MW, he questioned who would bear costs if actual demand falls short of projections.
At the same time, Peerapun questioned the assumption of an increase to over 15 million electric vehicles (EVs) and the peak electricity demand shifting from daytime to 8:00–9:00 p.m. due to EV charging. He pointed out these figures do not align with trends in population growth, investment, or industrial development, indicating that this PDP draft still contains many weaknesses.
Regarding plans to add 9.1 GW of natural gas power, Peerapun views natural gas as still essential for power generation because it allows continuous operation, unlike renewable energy with natural limitations. Although the PDP includes solar power with battery energy storage systems (BESS), these have relatively high costs. Therefore, if expanding gas-fired capacity, EGAT's gas plants should be the focus, increasing use of Gulf of Thailand gas and setting measures to import gas from Myanmar. This fuel source adjustment would reduce costs and pressure from volatile LNG imports.
He also discussed revising private power purchase agreements, noting that private power plants currently have capacity exceeding actual production orders, leading to availability payment costs that become a major burden on consumers via electricity bills. Although the government has discussed contract amendments, efforts have mostly focused on small power producers (SPP), whereas contracts with independent power producers (IPP) significantly affect electricity bills by tens of satang per unit. These larger contracts should be seriously reviewed.
The United Thai Nation Party leader emphasized the benefits of biomass power generation within the SPP group, especially using agricultural residues that might otherwise be burned causing PM2.5 pollution. Such residues can be used as fuel to generate electricity, providing supplementary income for farmers. The average biomass electricity production cost may be around 2 baht per unit, but the PDP draft's biomass power proportion remains too low.
Regarding small modular nuclear reactors (SMR), Peerapun said that while the technology is generally positive, its real-world impacts need evaluation. He suggested designating SMRs as experimental, not committing to capacity expansion before clearly understanding initial operational results.
On retail electricity prices, Peerapun stated that the PDP 2026 targets an average price of about 3.82 baht per unit with costs around 3.70 baht. He sees this as unlikely due to ongoing significant investments and EGAT's nearly 40 billion baht debt burden. Current production costs already stand at 3.70 baht per unit. Achieving the plan's target would benefit the public, but he linked concerns to the 2050 Net Zero goal, noting environmental impact reductions require heavy investments and the public's financial capacity should be considered. Setting current electricity prices without accounting for rising costs later is problematic.
For industries needing clean electricity to meet export conditions, Peerapun proposed promoting direct clean power purchase agreements (Direct PPA) so businesses can source clean power as needed. This approach should be supported instead of imposing all related burdens within the PDP 2026 plan.
He concluded by emphasizing that the PDP is merely a forecast and must include conditions allowing adjustments as facts change. Private sector participants must accept these conditions upfront to avoid claims of being unable to adapt after investing according to the plan. PDP revisions should benefit the public rather than simply opening the door for increased private investments.
“Electricity should be a public service, not a business for profit. Power generation under the PDP should designate EGAT, the main state agency, as the core because private investments aim for profit. Therefore, the electricity system should be a public utility with margins sufficient for operation rather than generating massive profits from public funds.”