THE Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), which caters to the largest number of electric consumers in the province, has announced a looming power rate increase this month.

The power distribution utility, in an advisory Wednesday, April 6, said that as a result of the fuel price hike in the world market since March, an increase in electricity rates for the billing month of April 2022 is anticipated.

Ceneco consumers in cities Bacolod, Bago, Talisay and Silay, and towns of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto are advised to conserve energy to avoid paying high electricity bills.

Ceneco Member-Consumer Integrated Services Division (MCISD) Chief Unice Pasaylo-Castillon said consumers are also reminded that every 16th of the month is the start of their meter reading period.

The exact amount of anticipated increase would be determined by that time, Pasaylo-Castillon said.

"On the 14th of the month, the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (Wesm) will give us the billing so the rates would be determined on the 16th," she said.

Aside from the fuel price hike in the world market, the MCISD head also explained that the looming power rate increase is also due to the maintenance works of Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC).

The maintenance works have caused the plant to implement emergency shutdown so Ceneco sourced power supply from Wesm, Pasaylo-Castillon said, adding that most of the power sources under spot market are diesel-powered plants.

Ceneco has a power contract with PCPC for its baseload.

In March, the utility's residential rate was P10.9210 per kilowatt hour.