- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The average residential rates of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative this month decreased by P0.5913 per kilowatt-hour, or P10.9210/kWh, from P11.5123/kWh in February.
The rate decrease is attributed to the net reduction in the generation, transmission, and system loss charges of P0.4421/kWh, or P8.1776 from last month’s P8.6197/kWh, Ceneco OIC general manager Jose Taniongon said March 17.
Total pass-through charges amounted to P9.7344 in March, from P10.3257 per kWh in February, including the lifeline and senior citizen subsidies of P0.0763 from P0.1019/kWh, GRAM ICERA (Generation Rate Adjustment Mechanism and Incremental Currency Exchange Rate) adjustment of P0.3549 from P0.3930, and value-added tax of P0.8284 from P0.9139 per kWh last month, the comparative table of the unbundled residential rates for the billing months of March and February 2022 showed.
Taniongon said only P1.1866/kWh of the power rate goes to Ceneco through the Distribution, Supply, Metering (DSM) Charges and Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable CapEx for its administrative and operational services, and the DSM and RFSC rate had not increased since 2010.
Last month, Ceneco increased its residential rate by P3.9133/kWh, or P11.5123/kWh from the January rate of P7.5990/kWh.
Meanwhile, Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi recently met with power generation stakeholders to discuss the impact of increasing international coal prices, and seek measures that could be implemented to address the anticipated substantial increase in electric power prices.
“Similar to our earlier meeting with the downstream oil industry players, we want to work with our electric power industry stakeholders in securing the sufficiency of our power supply, as well as in creating solutions to help arrest rising electricity costs,” Cusi said in a statement.
The Philippine Independent Power Producers Association (PIPPA) said that per initial estimates, the price of fuel alone may reach P9 per kWh, and the group urged the DOE to consider the suspension of the secondary price cap in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, possible government subsidies for electricity end-users through the Malampaya Fund, VAT exemption and the suspension of excise taxes on oil and coal and other electricity-related products, and explore the possibility of relaxing the 30-day coal inventory requirement for generation companies to better manage the scheduling of their coal delivery schedules. | CGC
