BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative said yesterday that its residential rate for the month of July is P12.12 per kilowatt hour, from P12.81 in June, or a reduction of at least 68 centavos.
In an advisory, Noceco said the main driver of the lower electricity rates this month was the 39-centavo per kWh reduction in the generation charge, that moved down from P7.6456 last month to P7.2469 this month.
The lower generation charge was due to the price reduction of 79 centavos per kWh in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, after its current average price was reduced to P8.3587 per kWh from P9.1285 previously.
Other factors that contributed to the overall reduction in rates were the reduction in systems loss, value-added tax on generation costs, and transmission and subsidy rates, among others.
Despite these reductions, Noceco reported an increase in the Power Supply Agreement with Palm Concepcion Power Corporation of P6.9011 per kWh from P6.7653 last month, and with Kepco SPC Power Corporation, from P6.40 per kilowatt hour last month to P6.50 this month.
Noceco’s distribution, supply, and metering charges remain unchanged despite the decrease in the overall electricity rate for this month.
Member-consumer-owners are advised to conserve energy and be aware of their energy consumption to avoid paying high electricity bills despite the decrease in the overall electricity rates.
Noceco said the generation and transmission rates are pass-on charges paid to the power suppliers and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.
Thus, the amounts collected on these charges are not retained by Noceco, it added.*
