The Governor of PEA confirms Public free to choose solar system installers from the registered list

Today (28 October 2026) at 2:00 PM at the Government Press Center, Naree Samosorn Building, Government House, Mr. Mongkol Treekijjanon, Governor of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), addressed the “Solar for the Public” program. He stated that with nearly 1,000 registered installers, program participants are free to choose whichever provider they deem most suitable for their installation. The registration process evaluated applicants based on their knowledge, competence, and operational experience. Crucially, all registered providers are required to employ qualified engineers and maintain a sound financial standing. With nearly 1,000 options available, the public can make an independent choice; the full list of registered installers is accessible via the program’s official website.

Mr. Mongkol added that registration is organized by province, allowing participants to select an installer based on their specific location. The registration process is governed by strict standards focusing on expertise, experience in rooftop solar installations, and the presence of qualified engineering staff to ensure quality and reliability. Installers must meet the criteria set by both the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). This ensures that both authorities have confidence in all authorized solar system installers. Ultimately, residents in each province can choose from the available local installers; the number of options varies by province larger provinces may have as many as a hundred providers allowing individuals to select the one they deem most suitable.

Regarding the Cabinet’s approval of a budget exceeding 10 billion baht each for the PEA and the MEA, Mr. Mongkol explained that the funds are designated for a “Smart Grid” project, specifically the installation of smart meters. These are essential to support the growing number of residential solar installations. Smart meters are required to monitor the amount of electricity fed back into the grid from each household. Since electricity trading necessitates continuous tracking, these meters provide real-time data, transmitting information every 15 minutes to the respective control centers of the PEA and MEA. These centers monitor the volume of electricity flowing back into the utility grid on a daily basis.

Mr. Mongkol further noted that a 5-kilowatt solar system requires an investment of 140,000 baht, while a 10-kilowatt system costs approximately 300,000 baht. Bank financing is available, with loan amounts determined proportionally based on the investment. As for the income earned by individuals selling electricity back to the grid, a 5-kilowatt system yields approximately 1,000 baht or slightly more. It should be noted that the amount eligible for sale back to the grid is strictly limited to 5 kilowatts.