Meralco to reduce power rates in June

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced on Monday a slight downward adjustment of power rates for the month of June.

In an advisory, Meralco said it has reduced rates by P0.0216 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for June, bringing rates to P8.7252 per kWh from P8.7468 per kWh in May.

This is equivalent to a reduction of around P4 in the total bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh, according to the major electric distribution utility company.

“With three straight months of generation rate reduction, and a total rate decrease of more than one peso per kWh since the start of the year, this month’s total rate is also significantly lower than that of June 2019, which was P10.0918 per kWh. This month’s total rate is also the lowest since February 2018,” said Meralco.

From P4.3848 per kWh last May, the generation charge decreased by P0.0435 per kWh to P4.3413 per kWh this June.

“Because of the very significant reduction in power demand in its service area during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and Modified ECQ period, Meralco invoked the Force Majeure provision in its Power Supply Agreements for the duration of the lockdown, reducing fixed charges for generation capacity that would have been charged by suppliers,” Meralco added.

Meralco earlier said customers will receive the complete meter-read billing statement for the period of the ECQ in June.

EDV