The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved changes to the filing timelines for Actual Weighted Average Tariff (AWAT) and Rate Reset applications of privately owned distribution utilities (DUs) operating under Performance-Based Regulation (PBR).

The adjustments were approved through ERC Resolution No. 01, Series of 2026, which modifies earlier deadlines set under previous ERC resolutions.

Under the issuance, the ERC extended the deadline for filing AWAT applications from 60 days to 120 calendar days from the effectivity of ERC Resolution No. 23, Series of 2025, setting a new filing deadline of March 22, 2026.

AWAT refers to the actual average distribution rate charged by a utility during a given period. It is used by regulators to check whether utilities are charging customers within approved rate limits and to compensate for any over-recovery or under-recovery.

The ERC also clarified that Olongapo Electricity Distribution Company (OEDC) is not required to file an AWAT application, adding that the previously cited lapsed filing period for the utility does not apply.

On a separate note, the Commission adjusted the filing schedule for Rate Reset applications under the Rationalized Rules for Setting the Distribution Wheeling Rates (RRDWR). Instead of filing 12 months before the start of a new regulatory period, privately owned DUs are now required to file 9 months prior.

A Rate Reset is the process by which the ERC reviews and sets a utility’s distribution rates for a new regulatory period. It takes into account costs, investments, and performance targets. It determines how much a utility is allowed to charge customers for delivering electricity over several years.

Under the revised schedule, Rate Reset applications must be filed on the following dates:

• April 1, 2026 for Second Entry Group utilities
• October 1, 2026 for Third Entry Group utilities
• April 1, 2027 for Fourth Entry Group utilities

The ERC said the changes are intended to give utilities more time to prepare complete applications, improve regulatory processes, and allow hearings and decisions to be more efficient. The Commission also stressed that the adjustments are procedural and do not necessarily mean rate increases.

For consumers, the changes are meant to improve how distribution rates are reviewed rather than alter how much they pay outright. By adjusting filing timelines, the ERC aims to ensure utilities submit more complete and accurate data, which could help regulators better assess whether distribution charges passed on to customers are justified.

How could changes in regulatory timelines affect how electricity distribution rates are reviewed and approved for consumers?

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This article was originally prepared for January 27, 2026 and published later due to temporary site downtime.