Electricity rates increased across major power providers in Negros Occidental for April, driven by higher generation and transmission costs, separate advisories showed.
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) on Wednesday posted an increase, with residential rates reaching P14.4027 per kWh, higher by P1.2296 compared to March.
NONECO said the rise was driven by increased generation costs due to higher Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices and ancillary service charges, as well as system loss and government-related charges.
The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO) also reported that its residential rate rose to P13.2153 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), up by P1.3489 from the previous month.
The increase was mainly attributed to higher prices in the WESM, which pushed up generation charges, along with increases in transmission and system loss charges.
Meanwhile, Negros Electric Power Corporation (Negros Power) reported a residential rate of P12.2463 per kWh, up by P0.8356 from March.
The company said on April 16 the increase was caused by higher electricity supply costs and transmission-related charges, noting that power plant shutdowns reduced supply and drove up market prices.
All three providers cited market volatility and supply constraints in the Visayas grid as key factors affecting electricity prices.
Consumers were advised to monitor usage and adopt energy-saving measures as rate fluctuations may continue in the coming months.*
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