Aboitiz to refund P180 M to Mindanao power consumers
DAVAO CITY, Philippines–After making consumers in Mindanao shell out more money for its electricity following a provisional authority to increase rates in 2011, the Aboitiz subsidiary company Therma Marine has announced it would return a total of P180 million to its customers.
While it did not admit any overcharging, Therma Marine said the Energy Regulatory Commission had slashed the amount it was allowed to charge electric cooperatives for the electricity it generated.
Therma Marine did not provide figures on the higher rate it was allowed to collect but said the amount it was returning to consumers through the power cooperatives was about P180 million.
“The refund will represent adjustments in rates for power delivered in 2011,” Therma Marine president and chief operating officer Jovy Batiquin said at a news conference on Tuesday.
He said consumers would see the refund reflected on their electric bills starting in the December 2013-January 2014 billing. The rebates would be implemented in six billing cycles, Batiquin added.
Consumers who will get refunds are those in areas serviced by the Davao Light and Power Co., Davao del Norte Electric Coop. (Daneco), Davao del Sur Electric Coop. (Dasureco), and Davao Oriental Electric Coop. (Doreco) in Southern Mindanao; and electric cooperatives servicing the two Agusan and two Surigao provinces, South Cotabato, Bukidnon, Camiguin, north and south Cotabato, the two Misamis provinces, and in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, among others.
Batiquin said Therma Marine received the ERC’s order to refund consumers on January 3.
“ERC likewise ordered the electric cooperatives and distribution utilities to apply the refund to their consumers,” he said.
Batiquin said Therma Marine did not err in collecting the increased rate in 2011.
“Since there was an immediate need for power by Mindanao in 2011, Therma Marine started delivering power to the electric cooperatives and distribution utilities as soon as possible, pegging our rates on the provisional authority granted to us by the ERC. The provisional authority was issued while ERC assessed our proposed rate structure,” he said.
Batiquin said when ERC decided that the final rate should be lower than the earlier approved provisional rate, Therma Marine immediately agreed to issue refunds “without any delay.”
Therma Marine operates oil-fired power barges in Maco, Compostela Valley and Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. The two barges have a combined capacity of 200 megawatts.
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