Meralco sees rate hike amid Malampaya maintenance shutdown

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said the two-week maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya Deepwater Gas-to-Power facility could impact on the cost of its operations resulting in a possible increase in consumer electricity bills.

According to a report by Tina Panganiban-Perez on "24 Oras," the maintenance period will be from February 4 to 18.

“Hindi siya magpo-produce ng gas. ‘Yung Malampaya, nade-deplete na siya. So pababa po nang pababa yung napo-produce niya per day,” DOE Undersectrary Rowena Cristina Guevara explained.

Since no natural gas can be used to produce electricity from Malampaya, Meralco said they will be forced to source from fuel from alternative sources.

The Malampaya natural gas in Palawan fuels power plants that supply a little over 2,000 megawatts to Meralco.

"So around 40% yan of our energy requirements," Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said.

"Historically, everytime Malampaya goes on a maintenance shut down, nagkakaroon ito ng impact sa cost. ... Maraming factors in play. This is just one of them but we have to wait for all the final billings from the suppliers when the time comes," he added.

The Meralco official said the impact could be felt on the March billing of consumers.

The Department of Energy urged the other power plants to refrain from conducting maintenance to ensure continuous energy supply.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News