Thailand proposes 8.8GW data-centre demand figure on Sept 16
Thailand’s Energy Ministry warns inflated data-centre power requests risk overinvestment, while grid upgrades could require US$1 billion.
- Thailand’s Energy Ministry proposed an 8.8-gigawatt planning estimate for data centres on September 16, compared with applications totalling 35 gigawatts.
- Energy Ministry spokesman Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen warned that inflated power requests could cause unnecessary infrastructure investment.
- Pongpol said grid upgrades would require around US$1 billion, particularly to accommodate demand in the Eastern Economic Corridor.
Thailand is proposing an estimate of 8.8 gigawatts (GW) for data-centre electricity demand in its draft power development plan, despite applications totalling 35GW, Energy Ministry spokesman Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen said on Wednesday (September 16, 2026). Pongpol warned that inflated requests could lead to investment in infrastructure that is not needed.
Speaking during the Gastech 2026 panel discussion “The compute surge and what it means for long-term demand forecasting”, Pongpol said the 35GW requested by data centres was close to Thailand’s peak electricity demand of about 40GW.
Energy Ministry warns of inflated data-centre requests
Pongpol described the volume of requested capacity as “phantom demand”, saying investors often apply for more electricity than they actually need and also seek backup supplies. Pongpol described the proposed 8.8GW figure in the draft Power Development Plan 2026 (PDP 2026) as a cautious and reasonable planning estimate.
“It is the Ministry of Energy’s responsibility to introduce strict screening measures to filter out demand that is not genuine,” Pongpol said. “Including an 8.8GW figure in PDP 2026 is a reasonable approach for the Thai government so that it does not overinvest in infrastructure for which there is no real demand.”
Energy Ministry puts grid upgrades at US$1 billion
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) would need to spend around US$1 billion, or approximately 35 billion baht, on grid upgrades to accommodate additional demand, particularly in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Pongpol said.
Pongpol said Thailand needed to develop a “two-way dynamic grid” to accommodate clean-energy generation that fluctuates with weather conditions.
The draft Power Development Plan 2026 would also replace the reserve margin approach with the Loss of Load Expectation (LOLE) criterion to assess electricity security, Pongpol said. The change was intended to better reflect current conditions and provide a more effective measure of power-system reliability for the public.
Pongpol said the electricity system must accommodate growing demand alongside additional clean energy from the government’s rooftop solar policy targeting one million households, which is expected to add more than 5,000 megawatts of generating capacity.
Thai electricity agencies urged to share real-time data
Pongpol identified data integration across electricity-sector agencies as an urgent priority alongside physical grid upgrades. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), EGAT and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) would need to combine their information into a real-time “data backbone”.
Pongpol also called for enforcement of the Grid Code, which governs connections to the electricity network, so that data centres take greater responsibility for managing their electricity requirements before placing additional burdens on the public grid.
“Before making any forecasts, the ministry needs to see the data and work from the same map,” Pongpol said. “This will lead to investment in upgrading the electricity grid so that it remains robust and reliable over the long term.”
