The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) yesterday approved a discounted electricity tariff for households and small businesses from February to March as part of the government's relief measures to help the people and businesses cope with the new outbreak of Covid-19 that is crippling the economy.
Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, who is also energy minister, said one measure is a discounted electricity tariff to help workers who are working from home and small businesses.
He said the discounted tariff over next two months will cost a total of 8.202 billion baht. Of the total, 5 billion baht will come from part of the Finance Ministry's special relief package, and another 3 billion baht will come from the budget for state power generation and distribution.
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) have set budgets for capital spending each year.
Household and small businesses which will benefit from discounted electricity tariffs comprise 23.7 million users or 97% of total power users.
A household with a power meter indicating less than 5 amperes and consuming power of less than 150 kilowatt hour (units) per month will get power free of charge for unit 1 to unit 90. This category has 10.13 million users.
For a household which consumes power of more than 150 units per month, the monthly bill will be discounted for the amount exceeding the total units of its December monthly bill.
However, the rate of discount would not be finalised until tomorrow.
Small businesses consumption will be free for the first 50 units.
Ministry of Energy permanent secretary Kulit Sombatsiri said the ERC will grant an exemption on the minimum charge of electricity in businesses until March.
This minimum charge was designed to guarantee that if users don't consume electricity for the whole month they have to pay a minimum unit at 70% of the average last three months.
He said in case of the pandemic prolonging further than March, policy-makers will discuss whether to go on with the plan or not.
The government on Tuesday agreed to two cash handouts to those most in need in the wake of the latest Covid-19 outbreak.
The two monthly payments of 3,500 baht are among a raft of measures designed to ease people's plight, the other measures include reduced electricity and water bills, and soft loans to businesses.
The Finance Ministry has not yet worked out the full details of the cash handout and its proposal will be discussed by the cabinet next week.
Casual workers, freelancers and farmers who are not covered by the social security system will be eligible for the new relief measures, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said.