Power rates up for third consecutive month in April

Customers of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will have to pay more for electricity rates this month, marking the third consecutive month of hikes.

According to Meralco, overall electricity rates will be raised to P10.5594 per kilowatt hour, an increase of 6.33 centavos from the P10.4961 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in March.

This would mean an upward adjustment of P13 in the total bill of a typical household consuming 200 kilowatt hours.

The upward adjustment is the third consecutive month of increases after rates were hiked in February and March.

According to Meralco, this month's upward adjustment was due to higher generation charges which were increased by 3.49 centavos per kWh.

"The generation charge increase is primarily due to higher charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and the weakening of the peso against US dollar," said the power producer. — RSJ, GMA News