ELECTRIC consumers in the southern portion of the province may incur higher bills this month, as the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) announced an increase in its power rate.
From P8.5321 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in June, the power distribution utility's rate for July is P9.1617 per kWh or higher by P0.6296 per kWh.
Noceco caters to electric consumers from Pulupandan to Hinoba-an.
Its general manager Jonas Discaya, in an advisory, said the main driver of the higher electricity rate this month is the P0.4580 per kWh increase in the generation charge.
Discaya said there is also an increase of P1.1408 per kWh from Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (Wesm) from which the cooperative sources some of its requirements.
The current average price of Wesm is P3.5388 per kWh compared to its previous month cost of P2.3980 per kWh.
Other factors that contributed to the overall increase in rates are increases in value-added tax (VAT) in generation rate by P0.0927 per kWh; systems loss rate -- P0.0497 per kWh; transmission rate of residential customers -- P0.0037 per kWh; VAT on transmission rate -- P0.0155 per kWh; and subsidy rates -- P0.0100 per kWh.
But the overall rate increase is cushioned by the reduction in various power supply agreements (PSAs), Discaya added.
Noceco noted a decrease of P0.3607 per kWh in the PSA with Palm Concepcion Power Corp. The current price is P5.8740 per kWh compared to its previous month cost of P6.2347 per kWh.
There was also a reduction of P0.0733 per kWh in the PSA with Kepco Salcon Power Corp. The previous month cost of P6.4284 per kWh dropped to P6.3551 per kWh.
Discaya said their distribution, supply and metering charges remain unchanged despite the increase in the overall electricity rate for this month.
Member-consumers are advised to conserve energy and to be aware of their energy consumption to avoid paying high electricity bills.
"Generation and transmission rates are pass-on charges paid to the respective power suppliers and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. Thus, the collected amounts on these charges are not retained by Noceco," he added.
The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), meanwhile, reported a decrease in its July power rate.
Its corporate planning manager Paulino Almedelia said the effective rate for July is P9.9791 per kWh.
The figure is lower by P0.0076 per kWh from P9.9867 in June.
Almedelia said this is caused by minimal increase in general cost, at P0.0221 per kWh, which is net out by a decrease in transmission and systems loss charges at P0.0191 among other charges like VAT at P0.0046 per kWh.
Noneco caters to consumers in the north, from E.B. Magalona to San Carlos City.
For the remaining cities and towns in the province, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) announced an increase of P0.3227 per kWh.
From P10.2716 per kWh in June, it went up to P10.5943 per kWh this month.
The upward movement in the rate can be attributed to the increases in generation, transmission and systems loss charges.
From P7.4772 per kWh in June, these charges moved to P7.7652 per kWh or an increase of P0.2930 per kWh.