• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The average residential electricity rates in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City and in Negros Occidental for April increased due to higher cost of power purchased from the spot market, and tensions in the Middle East.
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative said that its April rate is P14.40 per kilowatt-hour, or an increase of P1.22/kWh from the P13.17/kWh rate in March, mainly due to higher electricity prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) at P2.86/kWh.
The US-Israel war on Iran also affected the prices of electricity, Noneco told customers in Victorias, Manapla, E.B. Magalona, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, San Carlos, Toboso, and Calatrava.
The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative, on the other hand, announced a P1.34 increase in the per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed for April, or P13.21/kWh from P11.86 in March.
“This upward trend was an expected consequence of the ongoing global geopolitical instability and the effects of war, which have significantly disrupted fuel supplies and energy markets,” Noceco said in an advisory to 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.
Negros Power, which serves residents in Bacolod, Talisay, Silay, Bago, Don Salvador Benedicto, and Murcia, earlier said its average residential electricity rate this month increased to P12.24/kWh, up by P0.8356/kWh from P11.41/kWh in March.
“This increase is mainly due to higher power supply costs, and increased transmission-related charges affecting consumers in the Visayas,” it added.
The distribution utilities also urged all households, businesses, and local government units to observe a weekly “Power Hour”, by switching off non-essential lights and unplugging unused appliances every Saturday from 8-9 p.m.
The campaign, which started April 25, mirrors the global Earth Hour initiative, and seeks to institutionalize energy conservation as a lifestyle for Filipinos, Noneco said.
“By reducing the peak demand during Saturday evenings, the collective action of member-consumer-owners will significantly alleviate the strain on the national power grid,” it added. | CGC
