FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Keep power bills down in these hard times, Egat told

Keep power bills down in these hard times, Egat told

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has asked the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) to refrain from hiking the price of electricity while many citizens are struggling to meet ends meet due to the sluggish economy.

The request came during his visit to Egat’s offices on Thursday (January 9), where he was briefed on current performance.
He said he believed that the authority, given its sound financial state, will be able to keep household power bills at the same level.
He also urged Egat to hasten investments this year.
Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong agreed to move quickly with the relevant state agencies in finding ways to lower electricity bills for small and medium-sized enterprises and for low-income earners.
He said he would meet Egat and PTT executives on Friday and urge them to take advantage of the baht’s current strength against other currencies by accelerating their investments.
Egat governor Viboon Rerksilathai said Egat would spend Bt600 billion on multiple projects this year and into 2024.
Most involve the continuing installation of power transmission lines.
It also wants to build eight power plants at cost of Bt300 billion to generate a combined 5,400 megawatts a day, he said. 
The plants are due for Cabinet consideration soon, with construction expected to begin in 2022.
PTT president Chansin Treenuchagron said PTT had already accelerated investments in existing projects in order to cash in on the baht’s high value.

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