NGCP: Transmission charge up in July 2026 electricity bill

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Wednesday said power consumers across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids should brace for slight increase in transmission charge to be reflected in their July 2026 electricity bills.

In a statement, the NGCP said the average transmission rate for the June billing period to be billed by distribution utilities and electric cooperatives this month increased by 0.77% to P1.4604 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), up from the prior month’s P1.4492 per kWh.

The grid operator attributed the increase in the overall transmission was due to an increase in ancillary service (AS) rates.

In particular, AS rates—pass-through costs for power supplied by power generators who are AS providers during supply-demand imbalance—increased by 10.18%, from P0.7220 per kWh in May to P0.7955/kWh in June.

The NGCP clarified that it does not earn from AS and does not benefit from any change in AS prices, as these are remitted directly to generation companies with bilateral contracts with NGCP, and to the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) for AS sourced from the Reserve Market.

Meanwhile, the grid operator’s transmission wheeling rate, or the fee for delivering power through the transmission grid decreased to P0.5058 per kWh in June from PhP 0.5607 per kWh in May.

The company said that bulk of the overall transmission rate still comprises of charges for AS.

“As the system operator, NGCP’s priority is to ensure the grid remains resilient during supply-demand imbalances. NGCP does not profit from AS charges, as these are remitted directly to the providers who help us maintain the continuous flow of electricity across the country,” the NGCP said. — Ted Cordero/BM, GMA News