Energy authorities are rushing to assuage public concern about electric bills, saying the new discounts should go into effect next week for Bangkok and start today for other provinces, after an outpouring of complaints regarding April's power bill.
The cabinet previously approved additional relief measures for electricity users, promising discounts of 30-100% depending on power usage, after many households complained about steep power bills as a result of people staying home during the lockdown.
The discounted rates did not show up on April bills, leading to further outcry.
State-run electricity distribution firms Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) said yesterday the new calculation for bill reductions took several days and will go into effect today for PEA's grid service area and next Tuesday for MEA's jurisdiction (Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan).
Wirote Buaklee, PEA's assistant governor for corporate strategy, said despite starting in late April, the charges will be retroactive as the number of units of electricity consumed in February will be used as the basis for the calculation.
According to the proposal, free electricity will be allotted to households whose consumption does not exceed 150 kilowatts/hour, applying only to houses with a power meter sized up to five amps. Up to 10 million households are expected to benefit from the measure.
For households with a power meter sized over five amps, if consumption does not exceed 800kWh, they will pay the same as their February bill. Any amount exceeding 800kWh will be subject to a 50% discount.
Large houses that consume more than 3,000kWh will get a 30% discount.
About 22 million households are likely to benefit from the relief measure, running from March to May. For those who have already paid their bill, the amount will be deducted in the bill the next month. The discounts are expected to cost the state 23.7 billion baht.
MEA assistant governor Jaturong Suriyasasin said people who already paid their bills at normal prices will receive a refund on their May and June bills.
Both agencies announced they will not shut off power for residents late on bill payments.
"The measure reduces the burden of electricity charges on households," Mr Jaturong said. "This is meant to help those working from home to support the government's pandemic measures."