Meralco customers to pay more in October

Metro Manila, Philippines – Meralco customers will pay more this month on higher generation charges, the major power distributor announced on Monday, Oct. 13.

The company said the increase is 23 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh), attributable to higher cost from power suppliers because of the peso’s depreciation against the dollar. Costs incurred by Meralco’s power suppliers are denominated in dollars.Meralco said in an advisory that the overall rate for a typical household will increase from P13.0851 per kWh in September to P13.3182, equivalent to a P47 increase for a typical household consumption of 200 kWh. “Primarily due to the depreciation of the local currency against the US Dollar, which affected 99% and 48% of [the suppliers’] respective costs,” Meralco said.Other charges that contributed to the higher rate are transmission and taxes at more than four centavos.Meralco cut rates in September.