BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez here is asking the Department of Energy (DOE) for a price cap amid the increasing power rates.
BENITEZ (Glazyl Masculino)
"I have just asked DOE Undersecretary (Sharon) Garin if we can trigger the provision of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) putting a cap in our electricity rates just like what the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is doing: Putting up a price freeze in the commodities in certain circumstances or calamities,” Benitez said in a press briefing on Monday, May 20.
The Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) announced last week that rates for residential customers this month will increase by P4 to P15.1632 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from P11.9566 per kWh in March due to a significant increase in electricity generation costs and market prices.
Ceneco General Manager Arnel Lapore, in a statement, explained that the main contributor to the rate hike for this month is a 31.96 percent increase in the generation charge resulting from a rise in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) price from P8.0879 per kWh to P12.6706 per kWh.
“We have never experienced power rates this high,” Benitez said as he is appealed for a rate below P15.1 per kWh.
Benitez said that he had asked the DOE to give him the guidelines on how they can trigger the price cap.
He said the increase in power rates could be due to a higher demand for electricity and low power supply.
“That’s where the government should intervene. It’s more of making the ERC aware of our situation due to El Niño phenomenon,” Benitez added.
Benitez said that he is making an appeal for a price cap for Ceneco but it would be much appreciated if the ERC can do it nationwide. He wished that the ERC should come in and act on it right away.