Fuel diversification to increase energy balance and reduce dependence on imported fuel is vital to a power development plan. Mae Moh Power Plant in Mae Moh District, Lampang Province, is an example of EGAT’s achievement in developing domestic resources into fuel for power generation.

With a farsighted vision of King Rama VII on the future benefits of Mae Moh Mine, he gave a royal command to conserve the lignite source for official use in 1927. 

The initial exploration of this lignite source in 1917 led to Mae Moh Mine excavation to utilize lignite for electricity generation, chemicals, and cooking fuel.  

In 1954, the Lignite Electricity Authority was founded for coal mine operation in Mae Moh District to sell lignite to tobacco curing houses, the State Railway of Thailand, and cement factories. Later, the Lignite Electricity Authority was changed to the Lignite Authority. Under the enactment of EGAT Act B.E. 2511 (1968), the Lignite Authority, the Yanhee Electricity Authority, and the Northeastern Electricity Authority were merged under the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) on May 1, 1969. Since then, the Mae Moh Mine has been under the responsibility of EGAT. To support economic growth in the Upper North and decrease investment in very long transmission lines from the Central part, the first 3 Units of 75 MW each were constructed, followed by the construction of 14 Units respectively.

On February 7, 1985, the opening ceremony of Mae Moh Power Plant was performed by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great. The beginning of the large thermal power plant in the North using the domestic resource as fuel has been implemented and continued until today bringing prosperity to the region and the country. 

Mae Moh Power Plant consists of 14 Units of thermal power plant as follows: 

• Units 1-3, each of a capacity of 75 MW, total capacity of 225 MW (decommissioned)  
• Units 4-7, each of a capacity of 140 MW, total capacity of 560 MW (decommissioned) 

At present, Mae Moh Power Plant has a total contracted generating capacity of 2,220 MW:

• Units 8-13 with a generating capacity of 1,620 MW 

• Unit 14 with a generating capacity of 600 MW (Replacing Units 4-7)