LOWER ELECTRICITY RATES. Meralco customers are expected to benefit from lower rates this month. Seen in photo are Meralco crews conducting maintenance works to ensure delivery of stable and reliable service to millions of Filipino consumers.
Customers of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will benefit from lower power rates this October after the distribution utility announced a decrease of P0.36/kilowatt-hour (kWh), bringing the overall electricity rate for a typical household to P11.43/kWh.
Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications said customers consuming 200 kWh a month will see a reduction of P72 in their October bill. The bills of those with 300 kWh consumption will be lower by P108, while those with 400 kWh and 500 kWh consumption will get decreases of P143 and P179, respectively.
This is a relief for consumers, given the recent big-time increase in pump prices.
Zaldarriaga explained that the lower rates this month were primarily due to lower generation charges, which in turn was driven by lower costs from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
GOOD NEWS FOR CONSUMERS. Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga (right) together with Meralco Vice President and Head of Utility Economics Lawrence S. Fernandez (left) discuss the factors contributing to the decrease in the overall electricity rate for October 2024.
WESM charges went down following last month’s conclusion of the collection of deferred May 2024 costs ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). The improved supply situation in the Luzon grid also contributed to the decrease in WESM charges.
Zaldarriaga further said the significant decrease in WESM charges more than offset increases in charges from First Gas plants Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo are following the ERC’s approval of higher pass-through Malampaya fuel prices starting this October 2024 under their new Gas Sale and Purchase Agreements (GSPAs) with the Malampaya consortium.
Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga empowers the public by regularly giving them relevant information that will help them in practicing electrical safety, energy efficiency and avoiding falling for fraudulent activities.
The ERC also allowed the amortization of cost differentials between the old and new GSPAs for over 12 months, covering the supply months of January 2024 to August 2024.
The transmission charge this month also went down by P0.0383 per kWh due to lower ancillary service charges. Taxes and other charges similarly decreased by P0.0145 per kWh.
Pass-through charges for generation and transmission are paid to the power suppliers and the grid operator, respectively. In contrast, taxes, universal charges, and Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) are all remitted to the government.
On the other hand, Zaldarriaga reiterated that Meralco’s distribution charge has not moved since the P0.0360 per kWh reduction for a typical residential customer in August 2022.
Reminders to the public
“The monthly bills we pay are also affected by our actual consumption, and that’s why we remind our customers and the public to continue practicing energy efficiency measures,” Zaldarriaga said.
Some energy efficiency tips that customers can observe are:
- Unplug appliances when not in use
- Avoid overfilling the refrigerator to ensure proper circulation of the cool air inside
- Iron large batches of clothing at one time
- Utilize natural lighting when and where possible
- Optimize the temperature setting of the air conditioner to 25℃ instead of 18℃ and regularly clean the filter
In addition, Zaldarriaga also reminded customers to practice electrical safety measures such as:
- Refrain from using “octopus connections” or plugging in extension cords into a single power outlet as this could overheat and result in a fire and other accidents
· Ensure that electrical wires and cords are organized, tucked, or stored away
· Keep all electrical equipment away from sinks, tubs, showers, and faucets to avoid water exposure
· Avoid placing and running electrical cords under rugs or carpets, as constantly walking on these could damage the insulation of the wires
· Always check for breaks, kinks, and signs of wear and tear on electrical cords before using
To avoid falling for fraudulent activities, which is historically rampant as the Christmas season approaches, Zaldarriaga reminded Meralco customers to be vigilant and to transact only with authorized representatives of the company.
“We are reminding our customers that all transactions with Meralco, including payments, are accompanied by an official receipt and should only be done through our Business Centers and official payment channels and authorized payment partners,” he said, noting that official representatives of the company are in complete uniform with IDs and are using Meralco vehicles.
Zaldarriaga also assured Meralco customers that the distribution utility’s crews are on standby 24/7 and ready to respond to any possible electricity service concern.
