Bacolod: Lower generation and transmission costs have brought down the average residential electricity rates in central and southern Negros Occidental in May, power distributors announced on Friday.
According to Philippines News Agency, an advisory from the Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) reported that the rate for May is set at PHP11.38 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is a decrease of PHP0.86 from April's rate of PHP12.24 per kWh. Roel Castro, president and chief executive officer of Negros Power, stated that the decrease is primarily due to reduced generation and transmission charges. Castro emphasized their ongoing commitment to keeping power affordable while ensuring service stability and reliability.
Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) charges decreased by PHP0.82 per kWh. This reduction was largely influenced by a market suspension following the declaration of a state of national energy emergency due to global fuel supply disruptions and rising oil prices. For residential consumers, generation charges decreased by PHP0.53 per kWh, while transmission charges saw a reduction of PHP0.15 per kWh.
Negros Power caters to consumers in the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Silay, and Talisay, in addition to the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto. Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) announced a reduction in its May residential rate to PHP11.45 per kWh, down by PHP1.76 from April's rate of PHP13.21 per kWh.
The reduction for Noceco was attributed to lower generation and transmission charges, which decreased by PHP1.19 and PHP0.24 per kWh, respectively. The Noceco management credited the decrease in generation rate to the suspension of WESM operations nationwide, which prevented a projected increase in electricity prices. The Energy Regulatory Commission replaced market-driven prices with a modified administered price mechanism to protect consumers from higher costs.
Noceco management also encouraged consumers to adopt energy conservation measures to mitigate the potential impact of increased power rates in the coming month.
