Meralco's November electricity rate rises by PHP 0.49 per kWh — PHP 98 more for 200 kWh

Meralco's November electricity rate rises by PHP 0.49 per kWh — PHP 98 more for 200 kWh

📌 On Friday, November 13, Meralco, which supplies electricity to the Metro Manila area, announced that it will raise its November electricity rate by PHP 0.4895 per kWh. For a typical household, the rate goes from PHP 15.0615 in October to PHP 15.5510.

■ What's changing
· Additional monthly cost by usage: PHP 98 for 200 kWh, PHP 147 for 300 kWh, PHP 196 for 400 kWh, PHP 245 for 500 kWh (ABS-CBN)
· The main reason is a PHP 0.4344 per kWh increase in the generation charge (Manila Times)
· Separately, a refund of PHP 0.1733 per kWh for households (AWAT) will be applied for 6 months or until fully refunded (Manila Bulletin)

■ Why it's going up
· First Gas and Prime Core Gen rates rose by PHP 2.9241 per kWh — due to the quarterly repricing of Malampaya natural gas, higher imported LNG prices, and LNG's share of usage rising from 24% to 44%
· The peso fell to a record low, raising costs paid in dollars
· Luzon wholesale electricity spot market (WESM) rates rose by PHP 4.3946 per kWh — October was hot, and average demand increased by about 769 MW (Manila Times)
· Taxes and other charges had a net increase of PHP 0.2165 per kWh, and the transmission charge rose slightly by PHP 0.0080 (Manila Bulletin)

■ Tips for residents and travelers
· This increase applies to rates in Meralco's service area — for areas served by other distribution utilities, check that company's announcements separately
· Households that use a lot of air conditioning should review their usage to prepare for the higher bill

■ Sources
Manila Times (11/13), Manila Bulletin (11/13), ABS-CBN (11/13)

■ Photos
· 1. File photo · Electric meters and wires clustered on a utility pole — The Manila Times
· 2. File photo · Power worker working on a meter — ABS-CBN News
· 3. File photo · Worker fixing meters on a utility pole — Manila Bulletin