March electricity rates down by P0.095 per (kWh), says Meralco

Contrary to seasonal expectations, customers of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) can expect their bills to go down by P0.095 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in March due to lower generation, transmission and other charges.

 

The power distributor is going to bill a household consuming 200 kWh P19 less in electricity bills and those using 300 kWh will find their bills P28.50 lower starting this month.

 

In an e-mailed statement, Meralco said generation charge – the portion of the bill that goes to the generation companies or power producers – decreased by P0.029 per kWh to P5.209 from P5.238.

 

The distribution utility said there is a 30-centavo drop in the average rate of its power supply agreements (PSAs) for the February supply month owing to a higher dispatch of the plants. 

 

However, this was tempered by a P1.14 per kWh increase in the average price on the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and the P0.18 per kWh rate of Independent the Power Producers (IPPs).

 

The transmission charge also went down by P0.045 per kWh due to lower ancillary charges.

 

Other charges – which include subsidies and system loss charge – registered a P0.010 per kWh decrease, which resulted in a P0.011 per kWh decline in taxes (VAT and local franchise tax).

 

Save energy

 

In the same statement, Meralco urged customers to practice energy saving techniques as rates are expected to go up in April and May when the Malampaya deepwater gas-to-power facility shuts down starting March 15 – coinciding with higher demand for the summer.

 

Power plants relying on the natural gas from Malampaya will need to shift to more expensive liquid fuel. As a result, rates are expected to increase. 

 

Among energy saving tips being endorsed by Meralco is setting the air conditioner’s thermostat from high cool (18°C) to mid cool (25°C) and the fan to low speed. 

 

"By doing so, customers may save up to P280 per month. Electric fans should also be regularly cleaned from dust accumulation on the fan blades and motor housing. This saves around 3 percent in electricity costs," it said.

 

When ironing clothes, customers are advised to do it in large batches at a time. 

 

"Thus, it would be advisable to schedule ironing during weekend mornings when the demand for electricity is low. Switch the iron off in the last few minutes of ironing. The remaining heat will be enough to press lighter materials," Meralco added. – Danessa O. Rivera/VS, GMA News