Bangkok: People without a permanent address should check their September electricity bill immediately, after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) ordered a price cut, with the first 200 units costing no more than 3 baht per unit.
According to Thai News Agency, good news has arrived for those with "temporary electricity meters" because they don't yet have a permanent address. They no longer have to pay exorbitant electricity bills of nearly 7 baht per unit. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has ordered a price reduction, with the first 200 units charged at no more than 3 baht per unit, the same as regular household electricity. This will take effect with the September bills. The report reveals that the Minister of Energy pushed this policy through the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC), benefiting nearly 40,000 households. The ERC Secretary-General urges everyone to check their bills and report any suspicious overcharging to the ERC.
Dr. Poolpat Leesombatpaiboon, Secretary-General of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), speaking as the ERC spokesperson, revealed that the ERC has been monitoring electricity rates charged by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to residential properties without permanent addresses, or those using temporary electricity, because it deemed these rates unfair to users, many of whom are low-income earners. Therefore, the ERC requested the EGAT to review its rates. Subsequently, the EGAT proposed a rate of 4.4217 baht per unit, which is the highest electricity rate for residential properties under the previous rate structure.
Subsequently, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) presented this issue to Mr. Ekanat Promphan, the Minister of Energy, who then brought the matter before the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) on July 15, 2026. The NEPC resolved to review electricity rates to align with those for permanent residential homes.
Recently, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) instructed the electricity authorities to temporarily reduce electricity rates for residential properties to the same level as general residential areas. This follows the National Energy Policy Council's (NEPC) approval of the Ministry of Energy's policy, aiming to alleviate the burden on nearly 40,000 households.
The new electricity rates will be effective from the billing date of September 2026 onwards. The first 200 units will be charged at a maximum of 3 baht per unit, down from the previous 6.80 baht.
From unit 201 onwards, the electricity bill will be calculated according to the standard residential rate scale. Eligibility requirements include having a temporary electricity meter used for "actual residence" (not construction) and having a history of continuous electricity bill payments for at least 6 months.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) urges eligible citizens to immediately check their September electricity bills to see if they have been reclassified as residential.