The Energy Ministry says data-centre power requests reached 35 GW, close to the national peak of about 40 GW, but much of it is "phantom demand" from over-requested quotas. The draft PDP 2026 plans for 8.8 GW instead. Grid reliability will be measured by loss-of-load probability (LOLE) rather than reserve margin. EGAT estimates about 35 billion baht (USD 1 billion) of grid upgrades, mainly in the EEC. For an SME this is background: it signals future grid investment and possible power-cost pressure, but no action is needed now.