- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. said its power rates for this billing month is P16.3639 per kilowatt-hour, or up by almost 60 centavos from the P15.7648 per kWh in September.
The increase is mainly due to the hike in the generation cost of the Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC), from P14.7007/kWh to P14.9699/kWh, and the high electricity prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), Noneco said in its advisory.
Only P1.6109/kWh of the power rate goes to Noneco through the Distribution, Supply, and Metering (DSM) charges for its operation, construction, and maintenance services, it added and stressed that the DSM has not increased since 2010.
“Let us continue to be vigilant in checking our kWh meters against pilferage and illegal use of electricity, and to regularly observe energy saving in our homes to avoid high electricity bills,” coop said.
Last week, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. and Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative also announced adjustments in their residential rates for October.
Ceneco said its current rate is P15.4337 per kilowatt-hour, or a decrease of P0.2648/kWh, from last month’s cost of P15.6985/kWh, due to “net reduction in the generation, transmission, and system loss charges.”
Noceco’s rate, meanwhile, increased by P1.5186 per kWh, or at P16.4677 kWh from P14.9491 in September.
The increase is “driven by the higher generation charge”, which increased by P1.2034 per kWh, or P10.22, from last month’s P9.01 per kWh, as well as a significant increase in the cost of power purchased from the WESM, from P7.9053 per kWh last month to P9.3499 per kWh this October, or a hike of P1.44 per kWh.
PCPC’s charge also increased, from P14.5126 per kWh in September to P14.9699 per kWh this month, Noceco said, adding that Kepco-Salcon Power Corporation likewise started delivering power under their 10-month Emergency Power Supply Agreement, at P10.3012 kWh.
Meanwhile, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said that a three-hour outage will be experienced by Noneco consumers this Friday, Oct. 28.
The 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. blackout will affect the whole coverage area of EB Magalona, Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, and San Carlos.
The NGCP will “shut down its Cadiz 69kV sub-transmission line to conduct hot spot correction due to critical issues of the disconnect switch main bus,” Noneco said./CGC
