MANILA — Customers of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) may find that their electricity bills a little higher this month due to an increase in generation charges last month.
Meralco announced on Wednesday that it adjusted power rates upward by PHP0.1135 per kilowatt hour. This increased electricity rate for this month to PHP10.0901 per kWh from PHP9.9766 per kWh in October.
This adjustment would translate to PHP23-increase in the total electricity bill for a typical household that consumes 200 kWh a month.
The higher generation charge this October is mainly due to an increase in Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) charges.
“WESM charges went up due to higher power demand in Luzon resulting from warmer temperature in October,” Meralco explained.
Meralco said WESM charges went up by PHP1.3545 per kWh. This pushed its generation charge to rise to PHP5.2725 per kWh in November from PHP5.1908 per kWh in October, increasing by PHP0.0817 per kWh.
“The share of WESM purchases to Meralco’s total requirement this month was 16.6 percent,” the company said.
“Transmission charges of residential customers increased by PHP0.0021 per kWh due to an increase in NGCP’s (National Grid Corporation of the Philippines) ancillary service charges. Meanwhile, taxes and other charges went up by PHP0.0297 per kWh this month,” it added.
For the past two months, Meralco has lowered electricity rates by PHP0.25 per kWh.
It also noted that electricity rates posted a net decrease of PHP0.46 per kWh since April this year. (Kris Crismundo/PNA)
