Driving this month’s overall rate increase was the absence of the one-time downward adjustment on reset fee, equivalent to ₱0.2264 per kWh for Meralco customers, that was implemented in February as ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Also contributing to the upward adjustment was the ₱0.1294 per kWh increase in the transmission charge for residential customers, due to higher ancillary service charges incurred by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). This month’s transmission charge also includes the second of three installments of February and March 2024 reserve market transactions for Luzon that ERC directed NGCP to collect.
In addition, this month’s charges reflect the ₱0.0351 per kWh increase in Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) following the ERC’s directive to implement a new FIT-All of ₱0.1189 per kWh beginning this March, from a previous rate of P0.0838 per kWh.
Subsequently, other charges that include taxes, registered a net increase of P0.0416 per kWh.
Lower generation charge mitigates overall increase
Tempering the increase in the March rates was the lower generation charge, which went down by ₱0.1686 per kWh to ₱7.0517 from ₱.2203 per kWh last month due to lower costs from Meralco’s supply sources.
Charges from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) registered decreases of ₱1.0143 and ₱0.2934 per kWh, respectively, due to the appreciation of the Peso against the US dollar which affected around 98% of IPP costs and 61% PSA costs that were dollar-denominated.
Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) charges also went down by ₱0.2247 per kWh due to improved supply situation in Luzon. While average demand in the grid increased by around 329 MW, average capacity on outage was lower by about 157 MW for the February supply month.
IPPs, PSAs, and WESM accounted for 31%, 47%, and 22% respectively of Meralco’s total energy requirement for the period.
Pass-through charges for generation and transmission are paid by Meralco to the power suppliers and the grid operator, respectively; while taxes, universal charges, and FIT-All are all remitted to the government.
Meralco’s distribution charge, on the other hand, has not moved since the ₱0.0360 per kWh reduction for a typical residential customer beginning August 2022.
Meralco reminds public to prioritize electrical safety, practice energy efficiency
As part of its commitment to public safety, Meralco continuously works with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to intensify efforts on raising awareness on the importance of electrical safety especially this Fire Prevention Month.
“We remind our customers to observe electrical safety especially with the dry season fast approaching since many household fires usually start from faulty wiring, overloaded outlets, or improper use of appliances,” Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said.
Customers can observe the following safety tips:
- Don’t overload outlets. Octopus connections are a fire risk.
- Check cords and wires. Refrain from using damaged cords and wires and replace these immediately.
- Unplug appliances when not in use. Unplugging appliances prevents devices from overheating and also helps save energy.
- Keep devices away from water. Exposure to water can lead to electrocution and short circuit faults.
- Keep flammable items away from heat. Store flammable materials at a distance from heat sources like electrical appliances and wiring to prevent potential fire hazards.
With the dry season fast approaching, Meralco also reminded its customers to continue practicing energy efficiency to better manage their consumption.
“We reiterate our call to the public to do their part in power demand management by practicing energy efficiency as a way of life. Based on latest data, electricity demand increases by 20% to 33% during the dry season due to increased usage of cooling appliances such as air conditioners,” Zaldarriaga said.
Some power saving tips customers can practice are regular cleaning of air conditioner filters, refraining from overfilling refrigerators, and using LED bulbs for cost-saving lighting.
Meralco customers can also have better control of their monthly electricity bills with the help of the Meralco Appliance Calculator that provides information on the energy consumption of appliances and gadgets.
Customers can report their concerns through the My Meralco app or through Meralco’s official social media accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco) and X formerly Twitter (@meralco). They may also text their concerns to 0920-9716211 or 0917-5516211 or contact the Meralco Hotline at 16211 and 8631-1111.
