Higher power rates in Baguio, Benguet this month in Philippines

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Electricity bills in this city and Benguet will increase this month.

The Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) said the increase in power rates was due to an increase in transmission charges imposed by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

Beneco had asked NGCP to clarify the sudden increase in its transmission charges billing in January and February.

'There is a whopping increase of 509 percent for the contingency reserve,' Beneco general manager Melchor Licoben said.

Beneco said transmission charges would increase by P0.3667 per kilowatt hour (kWh).

'This will mean an increase of P0.4705 per kWh for low voltage commercial and industrial consumers, public buildings and streetlights. For high-voltage consumers like commercial and public buildings, the increase will be P203.80 per kWh,' Beneco said.

Residential consumers will pay an additional P9.9796 per kWh in February, to P10.4435 per kWh this month. This means an increase of P0.4369 per kWh.

Beneco said a household that consumes an average of 100 kWh a month will have to shell out an additional P46.39 per kWh, including value-added tax.

Licoben said the NGCP should advise consumers on the power rate hikes.