Transmission-related charges for November 2025 moved in different directions across the country, with overall rates declining nationwide even as increases were recorded in some grids, according to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Based on NGCP’s comparison of the October and November 2025 billing periods, total transmission-related charges fell by PHP 0.1558 per kilowatt-hour, or 10.31%, at the national level. The decline was driven mainly by decreases recorded in Luzon and Mindanao.

In Luzon, total charges dropped by PHP 0.2197 per kWh, equivalent to a 15.27% decrease, reflecting reductions across effective transmission rates, ancillary services, and other components. Mindanao also posted a decrease in effective transmission rates, though higher ancillary services charges resulted in a net increase of PHP 0.0441 per kWh, or 3.21%, for the grid.

The Visayas, meanwhile, recorded an overall increase of PHP 0.0441 per kWh, or 2.17%, as higher effective transmission rates, ancillary services, and other charges outweighed any declines during the period.

NGCP said that for the November 2025 billing period, the equivalent average transmission rate stood at PHP 1.3547 per kWh, down from PHP 1.5105 per kWh in October, reflecting month-on-month movements in transmission-related charges.

The company noted that a significant portion of recent transmission costs has been driven by ancillary services, which are pass-through charges paid to power generators that provide reserve capacity during supply-demand imbalances. NGCP stressed that these costs do not accrue to the company and are fully remitted to ancillary services providers in accordance with regulations.

Against this backdrop, NGCP reiterated its call for the unbundling of transmission charges, saying clearer separation of transmission wheeling rates from pass-through costs such as ancillary services and the Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) would help consumers better understand fluctuations in their electricity bills.

“Together with FIT-All, these are pass-through costs which NGCP does not earn from,” the company stated, adding that only transmission wheeling rates reflect its actual charge for delivering power through the grid.

As transmission-related charges continue to shift month to month, how much clarity can unbundling bring in helping consumers track what truly drives changes in their electricity bills?

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