BAGUIO CITY – Power rates being charged by the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) from its member-consumer-owners (MCOs) continue to slightly increase following the minimal adjustments in the transmission and systems loss charges reflected in their monthly power bills this June.
Based on the data obtained from BENECO under the able leadership of general manager Engr. Melchor S. Licoben, power rates for residential consumers this month was pegged at P9.5616 per kilowatthour which is around P0.0208/kwh higher compared to the P9.5408/kwh billed to residential consumers in May.
While the P4.9502/kwh generation charge was maintained for May and June, the slight increase on the power rates for residential consumers was reflected on the transmission charge for June which is P0.8590/kwh compared to the similar charge of P0.8589/kwh last month.
Further, another component of the monthly power bills of consumers that also increased was the systems loss charge of P0.5938/kwh in June compared to the same charge of P0.5836/kwh last month.
The lifeline rate or the discount being subsidized by consumers also increased in June where the said charge was placed at P0.0829/kwh compared to the same charge of around P0.777/kwh last month.
BENECO also reported an increase in low voltage commercial rates this month with the charged estimated to be at P8.8494/kwh compared to the same rate which was only P8.8297/kwh in May.
The industrial rate in June also increased to P8.8180/kwh compared to the similar rate which was P8.7983/kwh in May.
Low voltage public building rate for June slightly increased to P8.8216/kwh compared to the previous rate of P8.8019/kwh last month.
Power rates for the streetlights in June also recorded an increase to P8.8494/kwh compared to the same rate in may which was only P8.8297/kwh.
On the other hand, high voltage commercial power rates slightly increased to P7.2692/kwh compared to the similar rate of P7.2383/kwh last month.
Moreover, high voltage public building rate in June was estimated to be at P7.2414/kwh compared to the similar charge last month which was reported to be P7.2105/kwh.
Earlier, the BENECO Board of Directors pegged the generation charge that will be collected from the consumers to be around P4.9500/kwh admits the reported increase in the same charge which is under the control of the power generation companies caused by the significant increase in the prices of coal in the world market where coal is one of the major fuels being used by the said companies to generate power being supplied to the various private and public power distribution companies operating in the different parts of the country.
BENECO is one of the public power distribution companies that charge the cheapest power rates from their consumers even if it is operating within a franchise area that has numerous non-viable communities that are being provided with uninterrupted power supply.
