ERC warns vs. high power redistribution rates

The Energy Regulatory Commission warned electricity redistributors from making profit out of redistribution of electric power.

This after ERC received complaints from among building or apartment occupants on electricity redistributors who allegedly charge them excessive amounts.

With this, ERC chairman Rodolfo Albano said they decided to draft a policy that will regulate the charges being collected by these redistributors.

These rules will govern the redistribution of electricity to unit owners or lessees by a redistributor, such as building or condominium administrator or an apartment owner. Buildings or apartments, including condominiums, where the approved electrical designs allow installation of a billing meter to each of the tenants or lessees, are not covered by the rules.

A public consultation on the proposed Rules on Redistribution of Electricity would be held on April 21.

"The old practice has brought a lot of complaints from among building or apartment occupants which necessitates the ERC to come up with a policy that will regulate the charges being collected by these redistributors," Albano said.

ERC defines a redistributor as an end-user singly connected and contractually-bound to a Distribution Utility. The billing meter or 'mother meter' which the DU provides to a redistributor, registers the total energy consumption of the establishment. As such, a sub-meter bearing an ERC seal shall be installed to individual unit owner or lessee to monitor each actual consumption. Every occupant is entitled to the applicable provisions of the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers and of the Distribution Services and Open Access Rules.

"The ERC will always exert its best effort to protect the interests of the stakeholders in the electricity industry," Albano added.

Under the rules, an end-user may be allowed to redistribute electric service if he provides and installs individual sub-meters to the units of the individual unit-owner to ascertain the latter's energy consumption with all the sub-meters tested and sealed by the ERC prior to installation.