DAVAO Light and Power Co. resumed delivering electricity bills to customers on Sept. 24 after delaying this month’s bills to accommodate the recalculation of Wholesale Electricity Spot Market generation charges under an Energy Regulatory Commission directive.
The ERC ordered the regional application of the Secondary Price Cap, or SPC, in the WESM retroactive to the August 2026 billing period. The measure requires the cap to be applied separately to the Visayas and Mindanao grids instead of using a system-wide computation.
Davao Light said the recalculation will ensure the revised generation charges are properly reflected in customers’ bills.
“There has been a delay in sending out this month’s bill due to the recalculation of WESM generation charges pursuant to the ERC’s directive to apply the Secondary Price Cap retroactively. This will allow the recalculated generation charges to be properly reflected in your bill,” the utility said in an advisory to customers.
The ERC issued an advisory Sept. 11 directing distribution utilities to wait for the final billing from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines after implementing the regional SPC for the August 2026 supply month.
The Department of Energy said the regional price cap aims to protect consumers in the Visayas and Mindanao from sharp electricity price increases during periods of tight power supply.
Billing concerns
The billing delay comes as the Davao Consumer Movement raised concerns over delayed electricity bills in parts of Davao del Norte that are now within Davao Light’s expanded franchise area.
In a statement, the consumer group said some customers had experienced delays while Davao Light transitioned from the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative to its expanded service area.
“Reports indicate that some of these delays have spanned multiple months since Davao Light assumed billing responsibilities in the expanded franchise area. We respectfully request transparency on this matter to help ease consumer uncertainties,” the group said.
The group warned that delayed billing could leave customers with accumulated charges covering several months, a particular concern for households already coping with high electricity costs.
It urged Davao Light to provide accessible payment arrangements for affected customers and address penalties, arrears, or other charges resulting from billing delays beyond consumers’ control.
The group also called for timely updates on customers’ account status and the reasons for delayed bills.
Davao Light advised customers to refer to the ERC’s official advisory for details on the implementation of the regional Secondary Price Cap. DEF
