• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative announced that its average residential rate this billing month of April increased by P1.6509 per kilowatt-hour, mostly due to a substantial hike in the cost of power purchased from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
This means that member-consumer-owners (MCOs) from Pulupandan, San Enrique, Valladolid, Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Ilog, Candoni, Cauayan, Sipalay, Hinoba-an, and La Carlota City will be paying P15.6104/kWh this month, from P13.9595/kWh in March.
“While the rates from some of our power suppliers decreased, the substantial rise in the (cost of power traded in the) WESM were not sufficient to offset the overall generation charge,” Noceco said in an advisory.
WESM pricing stood at P10.5620/kWh this billing month, from P4.2240 in March.
FDC also billed Noceco for power purchased under the emergency power supply agreement, at P6.6268/kWh, which is initially reflected in this month’s billing.
“Noceco has entered into an emergency power supply agreement with FDC…to ensure a more stable and reliable power supply for our consumers and to cushion against significant price fluctuations in the spot market,” the electric cooperative said, and encouraged MCOs to conserve electricity to help manage their consumption and avoid high electric bills. | CGC
