ALL three electric cooperatives in Negros Occidental have increased their residential power rates for January.
The Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) posted the highest increase for this month, at P0.9523 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
From P8.0756 per kWh in December, Ceneco's current rate is P9.0279 per kWh.
Roel Venus, chief of Member-Consumers Integrated Services Division, told SunStar Bacolod on Tuesday, January 24, that the increase is mainly attributed to the upward movement of various charges.
Venus said the cooperative's generation charge went up by P0.5492 per kWh; transmission charge, P0.2122 per kWh; and systems loss charge, P0.0854 per kWh.
"These are pass-through charges being billed to Ceneco by its power suppliers and transmission service provider National Grid Corporation of the Philippines," he added.
The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) pegged its residential rate for January at P8.2237 per kWh, with an increase of P0.4894 per kWh from the previous month's rate of P7.7343 per kWh.
Jonas Discaya, general manager of Noceco, said the main driver of the higher electricity rate is the P0.3863 per kWh increase in the generation charge.
From P3.6631 in December, it moved up to P4.0494 per kWh, he said.
"The increase in generation rate is due to the resumption of normal operation of Palm Concepcion Power Corp. and Kepco Salcon Power Corp. A portion of their power is contracted by Noceco," Discaya added.
He also attributed the increase to additional systems loss and transmission charges, P0.0576 per kWh and P0.0507 per kWh, respectively.
Discaya said, however, that the distribution, supply, and metering charges remain unchanged despite the increase in the overall electricity rate this month.
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) announced an increase of P0.4665 per kWh.
From P7.7314 per kWh in December, Noneco's current rate went up to P8.1979 per kWh, its Corplan Department manager Paulino Almedelia told SunStar Bacolod Tuesday.
Like the two other cooperatives, Almedelia said the upward movement in their rate is mainly attributed to the P0.4013 per kWh increase in generation charges.
For other charges, Noneco also noted an increase of P0.0652 per kWh, he added.