A new version of the national power development plan (PDP), which sets a direction for Thailand's electricity generation and management through 2037, is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year, says the Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo).
Plans for oil, gas, alternative energy and energy efficiency will also be finalised in the same period, according to Eppo.
The PDP will play a crucial role in the energy sector, encompassing fuels, energy-efficient consumption and renewable energy as the country transitions to electrification and the mainstreaming of economic activities powered by electricity, said Weerapat Kiatfuengfoo, director-general of Eppo.
A panel working on the PDP is scheduled to have a final talk on May 7 to prepare for a public hearing, he said.
The PDP was first drafted in 2018 and has gone through many revisions, resulting from changes in economic and social circumstances, including the impact of the pandemic.
In the latest version, renewable energy will make up more than 50% of fuels used for power generation in the country, said Mr Weerapat.
The loss of load expectation (LOLE) method will be used to manage power supply, allaying concerns over surplus power generation capacity in reserve, which is blamed for driving up power bills, he said.
The LOLE estimates how many hours of electricity supply cannot meet actual demand in a year.
This method corresponds with Thailand's shift towards more use of renewable sources, said Mr Weerapat.
Using more clean energy is worthwhile, but it raises concerns over intermittent output from the sun and wind, which are determined by weather patterns.
The LOLE for Thailand is set at 0.7 days a year, he said. In other words, load loss or generation deficiency should not be greater than 17 hours in one year.
The LOLE method is suitable for higher use of renewable resources such as solar and wind to generate electricity as their power supply is monitored hourly, said Mr Weerapat.
In the new PDP, carbon dioxide emissions from the power generation sector have a ceiling of 41.5 million tonnes in 2050, down from a target of 100 million tonnes in 2025 and 101 million tonnes in 2020, he said.