The Central Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. (CENECO) has increased its residential rates by P0.2268 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in October.
Maria Agnes Claro, officer-in-charge of the Office of the General Manager, said Monday, October 26, that the power rate for this billing month was at P10.4110/kWh from P10.1842/kWh in September.
She attributed the rate hike to the increase in generation, transmission, system loss, and other pass through charges.
The pass-through charges equivalent to P9.2244/kWh of the total power rate include the generation and transmission charges, Energy Regulatory Commission-approved adjustments, government subsidies and taxes, she said.
Only P1.1866/kWh of the power rate goes to CENECO through distribution, supply, metering charges and the reinvestment fund for sustainable capital expenditure for its administrative and operational services, she stressed.
In monitoring the monthly electricity usage, consumers are advised to look at their kilowatt-hour consumption and not the amount, that may vary depending on the pass-through charges, she said.
CENECO, which serves the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay, and Silay, and towns of Murcia and Salvador Benedicto, reminded its consumers to conserve energy to avoid paying high electricity bills.*