Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to suspend an increase in power rates while the investigation on rotational blackouts is still ongoing, saying that this particular rate adjustment is ‘inconsiderate’ of the consumers.
“Hangga’t walang napapanagot sa nangyaring rotational blackouts, hindi dapat na magdagdag-singil pa sa kuryente. Unfair naman ito sa konsyumer na magpapasan na naman sa kapabayaan nila. Hindi ito dapat hinahayaan ng ERC bilang regulator,” Hontiveros said.
The veteran legislator is asking for the suspension of the Automatic Generation Rate Adjustment (AGRA) rules while pending investigations are being conducted by the Senate on the causes which triggered the recent rotational blackouts.
Under these controversial AGRA guidelines, the DUs are allowed to automatically adjust (without petitions and public hearings) their generation and systems loss rates on a monthly basis, subject to consequent confirmation by the ERC.
The regulator shall then determine any under or over recoveries in the DUs implementation of the AGRA and issue appropriate orders for the collection or refund of such under or over recoveries.
“The ERC should impose sanctions or penalties that will provide relief to households.”
The seasoned lawmaker also stated that the ERC should impose sanctions or penalties that will provide relief to households such as refund or temporary suspension of rate increase for distribution and transmission charges instead of allowing ‘absurd’ rate adjustments that continue to burden the consumers.
“Hangga’t wala pang nasesettle, wala munang dagdag-singil.”
“ERC should be proactive in enforcing penalties. Para rin may nadadala. Nakasanayan na kasi na maniningil muna bago irerefund na lang. Bakit hindi natin baguhin ang practice na ito? Hangga’t wala pang nasesettle, wala munang dagdag-singil,” the lady senator stressed.
She made the call after Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), for the fourth straight month, increased its rate by P0.2353 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P8.9071 per kWh in July. This is equivalent to P47.06 for residential customers consuming 200 kWh.
The distribution utility has yet again attributed the power hike to the ‘persistently’ high charges at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), supply restriction at the Malampaya gas field and forced plant outages.
Last month, Hontiveros also called on the power regulator to investigate whether Meralco’s rate increase was acceptable, as the Department of Energy claimed that there was enough supply of electricity when the grid was placed on yellow to red alert status in the first week of June.
“Malaking halaga na para sa kanila ang matitipid kung hindi magtataas ng singil sa kuryente. Nasa gitna pa rin tayo ng pandemya, kaya’t importante na ang ordinaryong Pilipino muna ang ikonsidera kaysa ano pa mang kita,” Hontiveros concluded.
