Meralco customers could expect lower electricity bill
Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced that its customers may expect a lower electricity bill this month of May.
Rates dropped to ₱8.7468 per kilowatt-hour this month, Meralco said in a recent statement, based on the report from CNN Philippines. That rate is ₱0.2483 per kWh less than what was in April. Last month, Meralco customers had to pay the rate of ₱8.9951 per kWh.
The downward rate adjustment is due to the “very significant reduction in power demand in its service area” amid the enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the Power Supply Agreements’ invocation of the force majeure provision, there has been a lower generation charge.
“This May, the Force Majeure claim totaled ₱877 million, equivalent to savings of ₱0.3452 per kWh, representing reduction in fixed costs and avoided charges from the temporary suspension of the mid-merit supply contracts recently approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC),” Meralco said tin a statement.
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced the staggered payment scheme for electricity bill last April 25 as the ECQ was extended until May 15.
Meralco’s service includes several areas in Luzon – Metro Manila, the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, and Cavite, as well as parts of Laguna, Quezon, Batangas, and Pampanga.
ECQ was already changed to general community quarantine in some areas, however, other areas such as Metro Manila, Central Luzon except Aurora, Calabarzon are still under enhanced community quarantine.
Based on the report, the lower rate of electricity could mean that if a typical household is consuming 200 kWh every month, then the bill would be just around P50 or less.
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