Meralco has lowered its electricity rates this September by P0.1852 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). From P13.2703, the total rate has dropped to P13.0851 per kWh. For a family using 200 kWh, this equates to a savings of approximately P37 on their bill.
According to Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga, the reduction in generation charge or electricity cost from suppliers brought about the rate reduction this month. The generation rate dropped by P0.2603 per kWh due to lower charges from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Although the rate from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) increased due to higher demand and plant shutdowns, it did not match the overall rate reduction. He said, “We hope that this rate reduction will at least provide some relief to customers.”
Based on the data, 65% of the electricity comes from PSAs, 29% from IPPs, and six percent from WESM. Meanwhile, the transmission charge slightly increased by P0.113 per kWh due to increased costs for ancillary services.
However, other charges such as taxes and other charges decreased by P0.0379 per kWh. As a result, consumers still had a lower total bill this month.
