Western Visayas electric cooperatives, including those in Negros Occidental, are greatly affected by the high electricity market price that has resulted in the increase of electricity rates starting June 2021, their press release said Thursday, September 9.
The Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Northern Negros Electric Cooperative and the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative are among those affected.
The cooperatives said the spike in electricity rates for August was caused by the damaged submarine cable of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP} connecting Cebu to Negros causing imbalances of power requirements intended for Region VI electric cooperatives automatically taken and supplied from WESM (Wholesale Electricity Market).
As a whole, the generation charge of the power generators triggered the
increase of power rates because of its expensive price in the electricity market, the press release said.
It said while the DSM (Distribution. Supply and Metering) charge of Region Vi electric
cooperatives remains the same, this is the only portion of the electricity bill collected by the electric cooperatives to sustain their services and operations.
Central Negros Electric Cooperative also held a press conference Thursday to explain the reason for the increase in the power rates paid by consumers.*