- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Central Negros Electric Cooperative said Friday that the average residential rate for July is P14.1881 per kilowatt-hour, or an increase of P2.0710/kWh, from the P12.1171 rate last month.
Ceneco acting general manager, Ervin Stan Leo Ticar, said the increase was due to increment in the generation, transmission, and system loss charges, after the Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC), one of its power suppliers, logged a surge in its fuel rate, from P6.4963 to P8.0841.
Ticar said there were also increases in the power cost and other pass-through charges, such as lifeline and senior, the Generation Rate Adjustment Mechanism-Incremental Currency Exchange Rate Adjustment or GRAM ICERA adjustment, and value-added tax.
“The pass-through charges, equivalent to P13.0015/kWh of the total power rate, include the generation and transmission charges, ERC-approved adjustments, government subsidies, and taxes,” he said in a press release, adding that only P1.1866/kWh of the power rate goes to Ceneco, through the distribution, supply, metering (DSM) charges, and the reinvestment fund for sustainable CaPex (RFSC) for its administrative and operational services.
Since 2010, Ceneco’s DSM and RFSC have not increased, Ticar stressed.
He added that while the world market fuel prices remain volatile and may affect electricity rates, consumers are urged to conserve energy to avoid paying high electricity bills.
Ceneco serves about 213,950 member-consumers in Bacolod, Talisay, Bago, Silay, Murcia, and Don Salvador Benedicto.
The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative earlier said it will also increase its residential rate to P15.5203 per kWh this month, from June’s P13.7623, or a hike of P1.75 per kWh.
Engr. Ray Bustamante, Noceco general manager, said the hike is mostly due to the increase in generation charges./CGC
