Electricity consumers in the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) franchise area will see higher bills this month after the utility announced a PHP0.6268 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) rate hike for August. The adjustment will bring the overall rate for a typical household to PHP13.2703/kWh. This translates to about a PHP125 increase for homes consuming 200 kWh.

The increase was mainly attributed to a higher generation charge, which rose by PHP0.3749/kWh. Meralco said Independent Power Producer (IPP) costs climbed by PHP0.9476/kWh following the nearly PHP2 depreciation of the peso against the US dollar, affecting most dollar-denominated IPP expenses. Scheduled maintenance shutdowns of the First Gas–Sta. Rita and First Gas–San Lorenzo plants in July also reduced supply.

Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) rates likewise went up by PHP0.4582/kWh, driven by additional outages in the Luzon grid. These increases were partly offset by cheaper charges from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs), which dropped by PHP0.2604/kWh due to lower coal and liquefied natural gas prices and improved dispatch.

In terms of supply mix, IPPs accounted for 25 percent of Meralco’s requirements for the period. This is then followed by WESM at 7 percent and PSAs at 68 percent.

Transmission charges also contributed to the rate hike, rising by PHP0.1270/kWh after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines implemented a higher Maximum Allowable Revenue and began collecting under-recoveries from 2016 to 2022, as approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission. Other charges, including taxes, added PHP0.1249/kWh to the total bill.

Meralco stressed that its distribution charge has remained unchanged since a PHP0.0360/kWh cut in August 2022. Customers are also still receiving a PHP0.2024/kWh reduction from an ongoing distribution-related true-up adjustment.

Alongside the rate announcement, the company issued consumer advisories. Meralco warned against a text scam falsely offering refund claims through malicious links, clarifying that any legitimate refunds are credited directly to customer bills and never processed via e-wallets or third-party platforms.

“Meralco will never ask for your e-wallet account details or initiate refunds through text messages. We urge our customers to remain cautious and to avoid clicking suspicious links or providing any personal or financial information through text or email,” said Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga.

The utility also reiterated its warning against pilferage of electric facilities and materials. They noted that such acts can lead to power interruptions and accidents. Under Republic Act No. 7832 or the Anti-Electricity Pilferage Act, offenders face possible imprisonment and fines starting from PHP50,000.

Customers may report issues through the My Meralco app, the company’s official social media channels, text hotlines 0920-9716211 and 0917-5516211, or by calling the Meralco Hotline at 16211.

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