Thailand’s Ministry of Energy released a draft of its Power Development Plan (PDP) 2026 on September 8, proposing a minimum clean-power share of 65 percent with the most aggressive of several scenarios reaching 89 percent. The 25-year plan, covering 2026 to 2050, would also open the electricity market to greater private-sector participation and shift the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand away from its long-standing role as the country’s sole power buyer.
Key Facts At A Glance
- Draft Power Development Plan (PDP) 2026 released September 8, 2026, covering the period 2026 to 2050
- Sets a minimum clean-power share of 65 percent, with the most renewable-heavy scenario reaching 89 percent
- Energy Minister Akanat Promphan’s earlier public target, stated the previous month, was 60 percent clean energy
- Plan proposes opening the market to greater private-sector participation and modernizing the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s role
- Marks a shift from the country’s enhanced single-buyer model, under which EGAT acts as sole purchaser of electricity before reselling to consumers
- Draft was scheduled to proceed to public hearing by mid-September, with government adoption targeted before the end of 2026
- Small modular reactors remain under consideration, with proposed capacity in earlier drafts ranging from roughly 2,400 to 4,000 megawatts
Thailand’s Ministry of Energy released a draft of its Power Development Plan (PDP) 2026 on Tuesday, September 8, setting a minimum clean-power share of 65 percent for the country’s electricity mix. Several more aggressive scenarios were also included in the draft, with the most renewable-heavy option lifting the clean-power share to 89 percent, well above the 60 percent target Energy Minister Akanat Promphan had outlined publicly the previous month.
The plan spans 2026 through 2050 and is intended to guide Thailand’s electricity supply and its transition toward a net-zero emissions target. The draft would rework the structure of the country’s power sector by opening the market to greater private-sector participation and modernizing the role of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the state utility. The move marks a significant departure from Thailand’s long-standing enhanced single-buyer model, under which EGAT has functioned as the sole purchaser of electricity from generators before reselling it to consumers.
Earlier reporting on the plan’s development indicated that Thailand’s Energy Ministry had been preparing to submit draft scenarios for public consultation, with a public hearing expected by mid-September and formal adoption of PDP 2026 targeted before the end of the year. Small modular reactors have also featured in the plan’s development, with earlier proposals citing a potential capacity range of approximately 2,400 to 4,000 megawatts, though the September 8 draft’s treatment of nuclear capacity was not detailed in available reporting.
The draft follows the collapse of Thailand’s previous 2024 power development plan, which had targeted 51 percent renewable energy by 2037 before it was shelved amid criticism and political changes. Publicly available details on the full set of scenarios in the September 8 draft, including specific fuel-mix breakdowns for each option, remain limited pending the formal public hearing process.