BRACE yourselves for higher electricity bills! 

Customers of the Manila Electric Co. could expect higher power bills this month because there has been an 8-centavo increase in rates due to the higher generation charge. 

Meralco announced that the overall rate for a typical household slightly inched up to P9.947 per kWh this November, from the previous month’s P9.863 per kWh.

This is equivalent to an increase of around P17 in the total electricity bills of households consuming at least 200 kWh. 

Meralco attributed the power rate increase to higher generation charge, which went up by about 7 centavos to P6.99 from P6.91 per kWh.

Charges from the Power Supply Agreements likewise went up by about 2 centavos primarily due to the scheduled maintenance outage of the First Natgas-San Gabriel plant in October. But this was mitigated by lower charges from Independent Power Producers and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

Meanwhile, Meralco reported that its distribution charge has not moved since the 3 centavos per kWh reduction for a typical residential customer since August.

It also said its four ongoing distribution-related refunds, equivalent to a total of P1.8 per kWh for residential customers, continue to temper customers’ monthly bills.

One of the four refunds is expected to be completed this November, while the other three are expected to be fully refunded by the end of the year, in January, and in May next year.

Meralco last month slashed its customers’ monthly power bills by 7 centavos due to lower Feed-in-Tariff Allowance and generation charges. This allowed residential customers consuming 200 kWh to save almost P15 in their bills.