Malacañang on Sunday assured that electricity rates will go down next month despite recent adjustment implemented by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
A 44-centavo per kilowatt hour increase was charged to Meralco consumers recently due to higher prices of wholesale electricity spot market (WESM).
But Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda noted that the hike is just temporary.
On his conversation with Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Lacierda said that power rates will go down upon completion of the rehabilitation of the San Jose power plant.
"Hopefully next month we will have lower prices of electricity," Lacierda noted.
Lacierda said Almendras told him that the power from San Jose plant is cheaper and would ease the burden in high cost of electricity.
He also added that Almendras has ordered the operator of WESM to provide the government details of the current power trading.
Lacierda meanwhile declined to comment whether there will also be an adjustment on fuel prices as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) law allows rates hike relative to fuel price increases. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)