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Bacolod power rate drops for 4th straight month

By Nanette Guadalquiver

March 20, 2023, 4:59 pm

<p><strong>POWER SUPPLY</strong>. The technical crew of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) conducts maintenance work on Sunday (March 19, 2023). This March, the average residential power rate of Ceneco decreased for the fourth consecutive month. <em>(Photo courtesy of Ceneco Facebook page)</em></p>

POWER SUPPLY. The technical crew of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) conducts maintenance work on Sunday (March 19, 2023). This March, the average residential power rate of Ceneco decreased for the fourth consecutive month. (Photo courtesy of Ceneco Facebook page)

BACOLOD CITY – Average residential power cost in this city and its five neighboring localities has decreased for the fourth consecutive month since December, with the March billing rate reduced by PHP1.2040 per kilowatt hour (kWh).

In a statement, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) said the decrease -- from PHP14.8756 in February to PHP13.6716 per kWh this month -- can be attributed to the decrease in fuel cost and extended discount of Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC), which has two power supply agreements with Ceneco.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who had earlier questioned the two different rates of the same power supplier in the November billing, welcomed the development on Monday.

"We have seen a constant decrease, I hope this keeps up," he said.

Benitez noted that from a high of PHP16.2972 per kWh in November 2022, the residential power rate went down by PHP2.63 per kWh in March 2023.

In December, the decrease was PHP0.0966 per kWh to PHP16.20 from PHP16.2972 in November.

The power rate in January decreased by PHP1.0949
to PHP15.1057 per kWh.

Last month, the rate was pegged at PHP14.8756, with a reduction of PHP0.230 per kWh, from that in January.

Benitez said that since October last year, he has been "actively pursuing ways on how to bring down electricity rates in the city".

"(Last) January, I wrote to the Energy Regulatory Commission and Ceneco questioning the two different rates in November 2022 coming from one and the same power generator," he added.

The mayor added that "it's worth looking into the possible abuse of power market, considering the big disparity in the two rates".

This would "warrant a review by the ERC of the power supply agreements between CENECO with PCPC," he said.

Aside from Bacolod, the provincial capital of Negros Occidental, Ceneco's coverage area includes the cities of Bago, Talisay and Silay as well the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto. (PNA)


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