Sans arrears, June bill to reflect only month's consumption –Meralco

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on Tuesday reassured its customers with no outstanding balance that their June bill will only reflect the consumption for the month.

"We wish to reassure our customers that if their March to May bills have already been paid and settled, this will no longer be included in the June bill. For these cases, the customer need only settle their bill amount for the month of June." Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said in a mobile message.

This comes after several netizens claimed that their June bills were higher than previous months, even if they had no outstanding balances.

Meralco last week already advised that the June bill will reflect the power consumption during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

The company on Monday also announced a slight downward adjustment for the month, as it reduced rates by 2.16 centavos per kilowatt-hour (/kWh) bringing rates to P8.7252/kWh from P8.746/kWh in May.

"But for those who will get their June bills, we still fully understand their concern if their current bill is higher than their previous months' bills," the company said.

The company cited the following factors which could have affected the increase:

1. Higher electricity usage during ECQ: More people are at home and might have used appliances (television, electric fan, computer, game console, air conditioner, etc.) for longer periods, and refrigerators are likely opened more frequently.
2. Higher consumption due to hot weather: During hot days, appliances with compressors (like aircons and refrigerators) exert more effort. So even if you use it for the same duration, it uses more power. Our findings show a 25 to 40 percent increase in electricity consumption during summer vs cooler months even without increasing usage. With increased use, the consumption goes up proportionately.

Moving forward, Meralco said customers can opt to pay the June bill on an installment basis, with 25 percent of their June bill due at the end of the month.

The remaining 75 percent could then be paid in installments -- a six-month payment plan for customers who consumed 200 kilowatts per hour or less last February, and a four-month plan for those who consumed more than 200 kWh.

For customers with queries or concerns, Zaldarriaga said customers can reach out directly to Meralco.

"For any concerns they may wish to ask, they can get in touch with all of our various information channels and platforms. All our business centers are also open to respond to all their needs and concerns," he said. — DVM, GMA News