IF CONSUMERS of Northern Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noneco) averagely consume 200-kilowatt hour (kWh), they will incur an increase of at least P38 in their total electric bill for the month of May.
Noneco, catering to cities and towns in the northern part of the province, noted an increase of almost P0.19 per kWh in its power rate this month.
From P11.1651 per kWh in April, it went up to P11.3504 per kWh in May inclusive of value-added tax (VAT).
Noneco said the upward movement is due to the high cost of power in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
Covering the areas from E.B. Magalona to San Carlos City, the utility earlier dismissed claims that it keeps on collecting and increasing the rate without bases.
It pointed out that the price of power in the market depends on various factors including the "law of supply and demand" as well as the "price offer" of power generators.
The cooperative said that for April, the consumption is higher due to hotter weather, and many power generation utilities have shut down because of unplanned plant outages.
"Noneco cannot just impose a rate. It is based on the template, or the Uniform Reportorial Requirement, provided by the Energy Regulatory Commission," it said, stressing that the rate is dictated by the market price.
Earlier, the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative has announced a drop of P0.2922 per kWh in its residential power rate for this month.
From P10.2921 per kWh in April, its prevailing rate went down to P9.9999 per kWh.
The power distribution utility caters to electric consumers in the southern part of the province, from Pulupandan to Hinoba-an.
The main driver of the lower electricity rate this month is the P0.1264 per kWh reduction in the generation charge.
Other factors that contributed to the overall reduction in rates are decreases in transmission rate - P0.0725 per kWh; systems loss rate - P0.0124 per kWh; VAT on generation - P0.0409 per kWh; VAT on transmission P0.0175 per kWh; and subsidy rates - P0.0225 per kWh.
The remaining cities and towns in the province including cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay and Silay, and towns of Murcia and Salvador Benedicto, are catered by Central Negros Electric Cooperative.
The power distribution utility has yet to announce its power rate for this month.