Meralco sets P92 hike for 200 kWh in May
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Customers of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will have to brace themselves for higher power bills this month after the utility announced an increase of P0.4621 per kilowatt-hour for the May billing period, bringing the overall rate to P11.4139 a kWh from P10.9518 per kWh in April.
This will translate to an increase of around P92 in the electricity bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh a month.
Meralco attributed the substantial power rate hike to the P0.4455 per kWh surge in the charges billed by power generating companies, mainly due to tight supply.
During the billing period, Meralco said charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and power supply agreements inched up during the April supply month by P1.7913 per kWh and P0.2871 per kWh, respectively.
READ: Meralco hikes electricity rate by 46.2¢ per kWh
In a briefing on Tuesday, Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said the firm had no choice but to secure additional supply from the WESM—where rates are typically higher—to meet the increasing demand in its coverage area.
Yellow alert
The Luzon and the Visayas grids have been grappling with tight supply since mid-April as several power plants were either unavailable or not operating at their full capacity.
This was why on Tuesday, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines again raised a yellow alert in both regions lasting several hours until the evening.
READ: Luzon, Visayas grids on yellow alert on May 14
A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient but will not necessarily lead to power service interruptions.
Meanwhile, rates from independent power producers dropped by P0.6942 per kWh due to higher dispatch and lower fuel prices while transmission, taxes, and other charges went up by P0.0166 per kWh.
Meralco’s distribution charge, on the other hand, remained unchanged since implementing a reduction of 3.6 centavos per kWh for a typical residential customer beginning August 2022.
To help avoid power interruptions and accidents such as electrocution, Meralco reminded the public anew to steer clear of power lines when flying kites or picking fruits from trees.
“We are appealing to our customers to refrain from flying kites and picking fruits near power lines since these can cause power interruptions and accidents,” Zaldarriaga said. INQ
