The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has decided to continue charging medium-sized and large businesses based on their actual electricity usage for the three months to Dec 31 as a relief measure, instead of applying the more expensive "minimum charge" rate.
Under the minimum charge rate, businesses must pay at least 70% of their average electricity usage over the past 12 months despite low usage, in exchange for electricity supply reserved for factories around the clock.
The rate is considered unsuitable during the coronavirus pandemic, when some businesses are temporarily closed as a result of measures to curb the outbreak.
ERC secretary-general Khomgrich Tantravanich said the waiver of the minimum charge, which began in April, was due to end in September before the ERC extended it.
Other users that will benefit from the policy include non-profit organisations and agricultural cooperatives.
Energy policymakers have assigned the ERC to study how to further reduce power bills through better management of the return on invested capital (ROIC) in the state grid business.
ROIC reflects how effectively an organisation spends its invested capital to make a profit.
If the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, together with the state power distribution arms -- the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and the Provincial Electricity Authority -- can better manage ROIC, they will have more cash to offer discounted power bills.
Wattanapong Kurovat, chief of the Energy Policy and Planning Office, said ROIC will be based on future power trade projects, including a plan to sell electricity to neighbouring countries to reduce the huge surplus of power generation capacity in reserve that stands at more than 40% of total capacity.
The government earlier spent 40.5 billion baht to subsidise power bills for 22 million households nationwide to ease financial burdens during the pandemic.
Last week, the Energy Policy Administration Committee agreed to extend the price cap on liquefied petroleum gas of 14.37 baht per kg, or 318 baht per standard cylinder, until December.