BY MARCHEL P. ESPINA
Both the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative and the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative have dropped their power rates in September.
Jonas Discaya, general manager of Noceco, said the new residential rate was P8.3121 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from P8.6222 per kWh in August, or a decrease of P0.3101.
He said the main driver of the lower electricity rates in September was the P0.3402 per kWh decrease in the generation charge, from P4.1201 to P3.7799 per kWh.
There was also a reduction of P0.1985 per kWh from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, and a decrease of P0.0963 per kWh in the Power Supply Agreement with KEPCO SPC Power Corporation, he said.
Also contributing to the overall reduction in rates were the P0.0264 per kWh decrease in the transmission rate of residential customers, P0.0021 per kWh adjustment in subsidy rates, and the P0.0417 per kWh drop in value-added tax on the generation rate, he added.
He also noted an increase in other charges, such as in the PSA with Palm Concepcion Power Corporation, system loss rate, and VAT on the transmission rate.
Noceco caters to electric consumers in the south, from Pulupandan to Hinoba-an.
For Noneco, which serves consumers in the north, from E.B. Magalona to San Carlos City, its residential rate for September dropped by P0.5379, from P9.7611 per kWh in August to P9.2231 per kWh.
This was due to the low power cost purchase in WESM with an average price of P1.9580 per kWh.
The distribution, supply, and metering charges of Noceco and Noneco remained unchanged despite the reduction in the overall electricity rates for September.*
