ELECTRIC consumers in the southern portion of Negros Occidental may incur lower bills this month as the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) announced a decrease in its power rate.
Noceco, which caters to consumers from Pulupandan to Hinoba-an, reported that its power rate for May is P8.5426 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
The figure is P0.5139 lower compared to its rate of P9.0565 per kWh in April.
Noceco general manager Jonas Discaya, in an advisory, said the main driver of the lower electricity rates this month is the P0.4653 per kWh reduction in the generation charge.
It moved from P4.5204 to P4.0551 per kWh.
Discaya explained that the decrease in generation charge is due to the reduction of P0.8813 per kWh from Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
“Also, there’s a reduction of P0.0104 per kWh in the power supply agreement (PSA) with Palm Concepcion Power Corporation and P0.0327 per kWh with Kepco Salcon Power Corporation,” he added.
Other factors that contributed to the overall reduction in rates included system loss rate which dropped by P0.0694 per kWh.
Noceco also noted a decrease value added tax (VAT) in generation rate of residential customers, at P0.0005 per kWh.
In terms of subsidy rates, there’s a total decrease of P0.0078 per kWh, it added.
Discaya said the overall electricity rate decreased despite the increases in transmission rate of residential customers at P0.0237 per kWh and VAT on transmission rate - P0.0054 per kWh.
The electricity rates for this month will be applied to the estimated kilowatt-hour consumption as announced in the previous advisories of the cooperative.
Noceco’s distribution, supply and metering charges remain unchanged despite the decrease in the overall electricity rate for this month.
Discaya said member-consumer-owners are advised to conserve energy and to be aware of their energy consumption regardless of the reduction of electricity rates to avoid paying high electricity bill.
“Please note that the 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 the cooperative,” he added.