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THE
Manila Electric Co. may collect P0.0136 per
kilowatt-hour (kWh) more from its more than 4 million
customers that will be reflected in their January bills.
A
company executive said Thursday that Meralco needed to
recoup from the higher cost of trading at the wholesale
electricity spot market (WESM), which market was
actually intended to lower power cost. The official
requested not to be identified.
Meralco
had just raised its generation charge by 6 centavos to
P4.4125 for December 2007 from the previous month’s
P4.3525 per kWh.
As the
regulator of the power industry, the Energy Regulatory
Commission (ERC) will review the planned Meralco rate
adjustment. If the commission finds the rate hike
unjust, Meralco will be asked to refund its customers.
“The
reported increase in the generation charge being
recovered by Meralco from its customers on behalf of the
National Power Corp. and other IPPs [independent power
producers] is subject to mandatory review by the ERC,”
said commission chairman Rodolfo Albano Jr.
Meralco
is authorized to automatically adjust its generation
rates on a monthly basis. Albano said, however, his
office just wants to make sure that utility firms do not
overcharge.
“The ERC
assures electricity consumers that all changes in rate
charges are monitored with vigilance. The ERC will
always be fair and just in evaluating rate adjustments
to ensure the stable supply of quality electricity at
the most affordable price,” added
Albano. |
