SC orders inclusion of power producers in plea vs power rate increase

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court has ordered the inclusion of other power producers in the petition against record-high P4.15 per kilowatt-hour power rate increase.

In an order issued Thursday, the high court required petitioners Bayan Muna et. al, National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms (Nasecore) and Anakpawis et. al. to include in their plea power producers Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), SEM-Calaca Power Corporation, Masinloc Power Partners Corporation, Therma Luzon Inc., San Miguel Energy Corporation, South Premiere Power Corporation and Therma Mobile Inc.

The power producers were given up to Jan. 20 to submit their comment and to attend the Jan. 13 preliminary conference to sort out issues to be debated on during the scheduled oral arguments on Jan. 21.

“Public records show that SEM-Calaca Power Corporation, Masinloc Power Partners Corp., Therma Luzon Inc., San Miguel Energy Corp., South Premiere Power Corp., and Therma Mobile Inc., have existing power supply agreements with Meralco (Manila Electric Company) and supplied Meralco with power during November 2013 when the generation costs increased,” the high court said.

“The petitioners alleged that a very high ceiling price was revealed, at P62 per kilowatt-hour sold at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), while normally the price is way below this on the average in the spot market but failed to implead the PEMC, which was incorporated as WESM’s governance arm, as a necessary party,” the high court said.

Related stories

Supreme Court halts power rate hike 

SC urged: Stop power rate hike

Collusion eyed in power rate hike