Meralco hikes rates by up to P3 per kWh

The Malampaya gas platform located 80 kilometers northwest of the coast of Palawan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will temporarily increase its generation charge by P2 to P3 per kilowatt-hour, the country’s biggest power distributor announced Wednesday.

“The increase in generation cost starting this December is because of the shutdown of the Malampaya Power Plant from November 11 to December 10,” said Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga in an interview over Inquirer Radio 990AM.

Zaldarriaga said the amounts presented are cost estimates because Meralco is still waiting for the invoices from its power suppliers before final charges could be made.

The power hike, he explained, will be a result of a “more expensive” fuel from the suppliers of Meralco.

“The Ilijan and Sta. Rita power plant in Batangas used liquid fuel instead of natural gas which is P3 to P4 more expensive.  The impact of this will reflect on our generation charge,” he said.

He said the increase in generation charge will reflect on the receipts of customers starting this December and will last until February.

He assured customers that the increase would be temporary.

“Once the pipeline and maintenance is finished, we will be back to lower cost of electricity,” he said.

The exact figures of the increase will be announced Monday when all necessary computations are done, he said.