Energy Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat said the supreme energy board has resolved to revise the feed-in-tariff for very small power producers that use solar energy since production costs have come down significantly due to a reduction in the price of solar panels and related equipment.

The new tariff will be Bt4.12 per kilowatt-hour (unit) for a purchase period of 25 years. The previous price was Bt5.66 per kilowatt-hour. Developers in the Southern border provinces will get a Bt0.50/unit premium.

The Energy Regulatory Commission will work with involved agencies to set targets in line with the Alternative Energy Development Plan 2015 and submit them to the NEPC.

The NEPC, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also acknowledged the latest results from PTT negotiations which called for a 20 per cent reduction in the price it pays Shell Eastern Trading and BP Singapore for liquefied natural gas. The reduction will reduce the payments to Shell, during its 15-year contract, and BP’s 20-year-contract by a combined total of Bt115 billion.

The energy board also agreed that the Ministry of Energy would postpone the auction of expiring petroleum concessions due to delay in the amendments of the laws by the National Legislative Assembly. The board yesterday extended the auction process to next September.

Chevron’s Thai unit holds concessions to operate the Erawan gas field, while PTTEP operates the Bongkot gas field. The two have combined production of 2.2 billion cubic feet per day, or 76 per cent of output in the Gulf of Thailand. The concessions are due to expire in 2022 and 2023 respectively.