Meralco lowers power rates in May

After three consecutive months of hikes, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on Tuesday announced a cut in electricity rates in May, following a drop in generation charges during the month.

In an e-mailed statement, Meralco said it will reduce overall electricity rates by 27.28 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in May to P10.2866 per kWh.

"The downward adjustment of P0.2728 per kWh will mean a decrease of around P55 in the total bill of a typical household consuming 200kWh," the statement read.

The adjustment comes as the generation charge for May decreased by 8.14 centavos per kWh to P5.508 per kWh, primarily due to lower charges from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Power Supply Agreements (PSAs).

Looking ahead, Meralco urged its customers to practice energy efficiency initiatives to help manage their electricity consumption especially this summer season.

The company earlier announced power interruptions in select areas this week, as it is set to undertake reconstruction works. — MDM, GMA News