The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) is set to adjust its registration system to open the power retail aggregation to wider coverage of end-users. 

In a Manila Bulletin report, the operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) said that it is reviewing the process to identify the needed system enhancement “to accommodate and facilitate retail aggregation.” 

In June, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) implemented the Retail Aggregation Program under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) policy. The program will formally kick off by the end of the year. 

Under the Retail Aggregation program, two or more end-users within a contiguous area totaling an average peak demand of 500 kilowatts (kW) can join together to secure their needed power supply with retail electricity suppliers (RES) and share the same benefits as the contestable customers of the RCOA.

IEMOP is the central registration body (CRB) for RCOA participants, and it will also act as the entity which will process the ‘supplier switching applications’ of the qualified customers in the retail market. 

According to the ERC, subdivisions, villages, business districts, special economic zones, condominium buildings, malls, mixed-use development complexes, and other similar establishments adjacent to each other can participate in the retail aggregation program. 

As of April 2022, there are 1,897 contestable customers with a total demand of 3,924 megawatts who are currently experiencing lower rates in the retail market with a weighted average generation rate of Php 4.05 per kW hour. 

Under the RCOA, contestable customers within the threshold can directly negotiate and contract with their preferred retail electricity suppliers.