Residential electricity rates increased in June across the service areas of Negros Power, the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, and the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative.
Negros Power posted the highest average residential rate at P13.8417 per kilowatt-hour, an increase of P2.4609 from its May rate of P11.3808 per kWh.
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, or NONECO, increased its residential rate by P0.9458 per kWh, from P12.0159 in May to P12.9617 in June.
NONECO said the increase was caused mainly by the sharp rise in WESM prices following the lifting of the temporary market price suspension.
To lessen the immediate impact on consumers, NONECO secured approval for a staggered payment scheme covering its WESM bill.
Under the arrangement, 50 percent of the amount will be collected in June, followed by 25 percent in July and the remaining 25 percent in August.
Meanwhile, NOCECO raised its residential electricity rate by P0.9146 per kWh, from P11.4510 in May to P12.3656 in June.
NOCECO said its WESM rate increased by P2.9895 per kWh to P7.4098 following the lifting of the market suspension in May.
The cooperative said the overall increase could have reached about P3.5535 per kWh had the full WESM charge been implemented in a single billing period.
NOCECO negotiated a staggered payment schedule with the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, with a portion charged in June and the balance spread over the next two months.
The three electricity providers said lower transmission charges were not enough to offset the rise in generation and other pass-through costs.*
[sibwp_form id=1]