MOST electric consumers in the province may incur higher bills this month as the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) has increased its power rate by P0.18 to P0.20 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
Ceneco caters to the largest number of consumers in Negros Occidental, including cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay and Silay, and towns of Murcia and Salvador Benedicto.
Data obtained by SunStar Bacolod Friday, August 24, showed that current power rate for “affected consumers” is P12.1384 per kWh, higher by P0.2075 per kWh than July’s rate of P11.9309 per kWh.
The cooperative earlier explained that “affected consumers” pertain to electricity consumers who are affected by the recovery of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (Psalm).
Also, they are covered by the adjustments made by Kepco Salcon Power Corporation (KSPC) and Energreen Development Corporation.
For “unaffected consumers,” or those who were not using electricity within the said relevant period but also covered by adjustments for KSPC and Energreen Development Corporation, the power distribution utility noted an increase of P0.1812 per kWh.
From last month’s rate of P11.6305 per kWh, it went up to P11.8117 per kWh in August.
Ceneco Corporate Planning Division manager Leomel Tambanillo said the cooperative implemented adjustments for P14.5-million recovery of PSALM’s Generation Rate Adjustment Mechanism (Gram) and Incremental Currency Exchange Rate (Icera).
The utility implemented a fixed rate of P0.0817 per kWh as adjustment for KSPC, he added.
Aside from these adjustments, the higher power rate is also attributed to movements in various charges like generation and transmission, among others.
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), on the other hand, reduced its power rate for August by P0.1687 per kWh.
This resulted from the decrease of P0.1984 per kWh in the generation charge.
Though, increases of P0.0270 and P0.0027 for transmission and other charges, respectively, were noted.
Noneco caters to the northern portion of the province, from E.B. Magalona to San Carlos City.
Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) increased earlier announced an increase in its power rate for this month.
Noceco, which caters to localities from Pulupandan to Hinoba-an, noted a slight increase of P0.0044 per kWh.
From P11.2485 per kWh in July, it went up to P11.2529 per kWh this month.
Jon Discaya, general manager of Noceco, said the increases in transmission and systems loss charges, subsidy rates and value-added tax (VAT) on transmission resulted in higher electricity rate this month.
The transmission charge moved upward by P0.0012 per kWh.
While, systems loss charges, subsidy rates and VAT, registered an increase of P0.0071 per kWh, P0.0194 per kWh, and P0.0096 per kWh, respectively, he reported.