ERC to discuss Meralco’s rate reduction petition

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MANILA — The Energy Regulatory Commission is set to discuss the rate reduction petition of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) tomorrow.

“It (rate cut application of Meralco) will be taken up this Friday (July 10),” ERC executive director Francis Saturnino Juan has indicated.

Meralco earlier said that it will delay the dispatch of its billings for some customers pending the expected reduction petition.

This, according to the utility firm, is in order for them to integrate distribution charges reduction in the upcoming billing cycle.

The firm added that “it will slide the schedule of its bill delivery for a number of days for some of its customers as it awaits the order of the ERC.”

Meralco, meanwhile, said that “the generation charge for July is likely to go up due to higher prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) for the June supply month.”

This, according to Meralco is triggered by “numerous instances of forced outages by other power plants.”

“The Malampaya gas restriction during said supply month also resulted in the use of more expensive alternative fuel (e.g. condensate) by some power plants, such as the First Gas plants,” Meralco has expounded.