• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Customers of Negros Electric and Power Corporation (Negros Power) will pay lower electricity bills this May, following a reduction in residential electricity rates driven by lower generation and transmission charges.
In an advisory, Negros Power announced that the average residential electricity rate for May 2026 dropped to P11.3808 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), down by P0.8655/kWh from April’s rate of P12.2463/kWh.
Negros Power President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Castro said the reduction comes as welcome relief for consumers facing continued economic challenges.
“This month’s reduction in electricity rates is welcome news for our consumers, especially at a time when many households are still managing rising costs of living,” Castro said. “Our goal is always to ensure that power remains as affordable as possible while maintaining the stability and reliability of our services.”
According to Negros Power, the decrease was mainly attributed to lower charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), which declined from P5.8677/kWh to P5.0432/kWh during the billing period, equivalent to a reduction of P0.8245/kWh.
Castro explained that the decline in WESM prices was largely influenced by the market suspension implemented under Executive Order No. 110, Series of 2026, which declared a state of national energy emergency amid global fuel supply disruptions and rising oil prices.
These developments led to an overall decrease of P0.5332/kWh in generation charges for May, the company said.
Meanwhile, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) suspended the P0.0371/kWh GEA-ALL charge for the May and June 2026 billing periods following an advisory issued on May 8.
Transmission charges for residential consumers also fell by P0.1506/kWh, from P1.3657/kWh in April to P1.2151/kWh this month.
“Overall, the decrease in electricity rates for May 2026 is primarily driven by lower generation and transmission charges,” Castro said.*
