ERC approves NGCP's ₱28-billion recovery, consumers to pay more
ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved nearly ₱28.3 billion in recoveries for the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), a decision expected to lead to higher power rates for consumers starting in August.
ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta announced on Monday, July 7, that the commission's formal decision regarding NGCP's rate reset will be released soon.
She explained that “thorough” nature of a rate reset requires time to meticulously document the final determination.
Dimalanta clarified that the majority opinion, including input from dissenting commissioners, was completed back in April.
The approved ₱28.296 billion in recoveries is projected to translate to an increase of approximately ₱0.10 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on electricity bills, taking effect next month. This increase in the basic rate will remain in place until the next rate reset, known as the fifth regulatory period (5RP).
“The proceedings for that are already finished, so the Commission will just need to move from one reset to the next,” Dimalanta stated. ”So until we make adjustments for the fifth regulatory period, that’s the 10 centavos, which is inclusive [of the three centavos].”
NGCP had previously indicated its anticipation of the final decision for the fourth regulatory period (2016-2022), which would authorize the company to recover over-recoveries and pave the way for the fifth rate reset. The grid corporation also plans to file for the sixth regulatory period, slated to begin in 2028.