BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
Bad news for power consumers in Negros Occidental.
The Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, and the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative announced yesterday power rate increases, ranging from 58 centavos to P1 per kilowatt hour this month.
Danny Pondevilla, acting manager of Ceneco, said the average residential rate for this month is P11.57 per kilowatt hour, from P10.47 per kilowatt hour last month, or an increase of at least P1.
Pondevilla said the increase was triggered by the hike in the generation, transmission, systems loss, and other pass-on charges, such as lifeline, senior citizen subsidies, and value-added tax.
He said that generation, transmission, and systems loss charges are now at P8.55 from P7.59 while VAT now costs 99 centavos from 89 centavos last month.
Pondevilla added that part of the increase is the fuel cost for both Kepco-Salcon Power Corporation and Palm Concepcion Power Corporation, with a total of 45 centavos per kilowatt hour while that of Green Core Geothermal Inc. tariff rate rose to 11 centavos per kilowatt hour due to escalation factor annually.
Ceneco records showed that the pass-through charges of P10 per kilowatt hour of the total power rate include the generation and transmission charges, Energy Regulatory Commission-approved adjustments, government subsidies and taxes.
It also shows that only P1 per kilowatt hour of the power rate goes to Ceneco through distribution, supply metering charges and reinvestment fund for sustainable capital expenditure for its administrative and operational services.
NOCECO, NONECO TOO
Noneco also announced that residential rates are now at P10.33 per kilowatt hour from P9.62 per kilowatt hour last month or a difference of 75 centavos.
A statement from the firm said the increase was due to the hike in the prices of the wholesale electricity spot market, the surge of power rates charged by the power suppliers of Noneco namely KSPC, GCGI and PCPC, and the hike in the ancillary service charge of the National Grid Corp of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Jonas Discaya, the manager of Noceco, said the power rates for residential customers climbed by 58 centavos, that he attributed to the increase in the generation charge, that moved from P4.1374 to P4.7188 per kilowatt hour. As in other electric cooperatives, the increase was also caused by the hike of power suppliers and ancillary service charge of NGCP. Noceco’s distribution, supply and metering charges remain unchanged despite the increase in the overall electricity rate for this month.*
