• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Residential customers of Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) and Negros Power are paying more for their electricity use this month, while those served by Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) have slightly lower power rate.
Noceco said its average residential rate increased by P1.0938 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), or from P11.7750 in December to P12.8688/kWh this month.
“This adjustment is primarily driven by a P1.1140/kWh rise in the generation charge caused by higher Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices due to low power supply margin in December,” the power coop told its customers in Pulupandan, San Enrique, Valladolid, Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Ilog, Candoni, Cauayan, Sipalay, Hinoba-an, and La Carlota City.
It also noted higher power costs from its power supplier FDC at P8.43/kWh, while PCPC (Palm Concepcion Power Corp.) is also back online after the completion of its preventive maintenance.
“While these costs were partially offset by a P0.2979/kWh reduction in transmission charges, the overall bill also reflects the new, ERC-approved Green Energy Auction Allowance (GEA-All) of P0.0371/kWh,” it added in its advisory.
It explained that GEA-All is a government-mandated universal charge implemented by the Energy Regulatory Commission to support the development of renewable energy plants.
“As a collection agent, Noceco is required to reflect this as a separate line item and remit all proceeds to the National Transmission Corp.,” it said.
The higher WESM pricing was also the main reason for a P1.0635/kWh increase in the average residential electricity rate of Negros Power.
This means that residents of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay, Silay, Murcia, and Don Salvador Benedicto are paying P13.1076/kWh in this month’s bill from the P12.0441/kWh rate in December.
But Noneco customers in Victorias, Manapla, E.B. Magalona, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, San Carlos, Toboso, and Calatrava will pay P13.5311/kWh this month, from P13.7764/kWh in December.
The slight decrease of P0.2453/kWh was mostly due to lower transmission charge of P1.6870 this month, from P2.1479/kWh in December.
Transmission rates for January have declined by around P1/kWh nationwide due to lower ancillary service (AS) cost, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) earlier reported.
It said that AS rates are the pass-through costs for power supplied by AS providers to stabilize the grid during power supply-demand imbalance. AS charges are remitted directly to generating companies with bilateral contracts with NGCP, and to the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines for the AS sourced from the Reserve Market.
Noneco said the low transmission charge contributed a lot to the decrease in its average power rate despite increased power supply pricing and the GEA-All implementation. | CGC
