Energy officials said the measure is designed to prevent investors from shifting projects to rival Southeast Asian countries competing for data centre investment, reports the Bangkok Post.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) drafted the regulation, initially targeting data centre projects, with details on the size of the guarantee still to be finalised.
The regulation aims to ensure investors follow through on commitments to buy electricity from state utilities such as the Provincial Electricity Authority, and avoid leaving costly power infrastructure underutilised.
“We want to make sure investment in power plants and transmission lines, which require massive spending, can generate revenue,” said Wattanapong Kurovat, director of the Energy Policy and Planning Office.
The ERC planned to submit the draft to the National Energy Policy Council late last year, but the process was delayed when parliament was dissolved in mid-December.
The commission must now wait for a new government before seeking final approval.
The rule will not apply retroactively to projects already approved by the Board of Investment (BoI), which currently has 40 large electricity-consuming projects awaiting approval.
In 2025, the BoI received 36 data centre proposals worth B728 billion, including hyperscale projects from the UK, Singapore, Thailand and Japan.
The regulation does extend to data centre operators under the government’s pilot direct power purchase agreement scheme, which allows them to buy electricity directly from private power producers rather than through state utilities.
Officials said this inclusion is intended to ensure consistency across all high-demand users and strengthen investor confidence in Thailand’s energy framework.
BoI secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi said the board supports the regulation if it ensures reliable power distribution, but said guarantees should not impose excessive burdens on investors.
An energy official who requested anonymity said investors have expressed a willingness to comply, provided electricity supply remains sufficient for their operations.