CERA urges ERC to fast-track renewable energy rules

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (CERA) has urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to immediately adopt and implement its proposed Off-Grid Renewable Energy Distributed Energy Resources Rules, saying the policy could help reduce electricity costs, modernize power generation in off-grid areas, and improve service for consumers.

CERA Lead Convenor Nathaniel Chua in a statement said the proposed rules would transform electricity generation in missionary areas by promoting renewable energy technologies as an alternative to costly diesel-powered plants.

“For decades, Filipino consumers have carried the financial burden of an outdated and costly system that relies heavily on diesel generation in off-grid areas,” Chua said.

He said that the ERC’s proposed rules present an opportunity to modernize missionary electrification through cleaner, more affordable energy.

The challenge now, he said, is to ensure these reforms translate into lower electricity rates and better service for consumers.

He said that missionary areas currently rely on diesel-fired power generation, resulting in high production costs that are subsidized through the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UC-ME), a fee collected from electricity consumers nationwide to support areas not connected to the main power grid.

CERA said wider adoption of distributed renewable energy resources, including solar and wind power, would reduce dependence on diesel, lower electricity generation costs, and decrease long-term subsidy requirements under the UC-ME.

The group added that the proposed rules would also encourage electric cooperatives and distribution utilities serving missionary areas to modernize their operations by integrating cleaner and more efficient energy technologies.

Opening the sector to qualified renewable energy providers, it said, could improve competition, service reliability, and operational efficiency.

“The transition to renewable energy is not simply an environmental initiative, it is a consumer protection measure,” Chua said.

He said that every peso saved from more efficient power generation is a step toward making electricity more affordable for Filipino households and businesses.

CERA stressed that effective implementation and regulatory oversight would be essential to ensure that savings from lower generation costs are reflected in electricity rates and improved service quality.

The group also encouraged electric cooperatives, renewable energy developers, consumer groups, local government units, and the public to participate in the ERC’s consultation process to help develop policies that support affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity nationwide.

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the "ironically unfair" consumer protection policies of ERC following reports of erroneous electricity billings due to wrong meter readings, even as consumers continue to grapple with rising power rates.

“ERC has a mandate to protect electric consumers, but some of its current policies may be placing the burden on the very people it is supposed to protect. Kailangang tingnan ang mga polisiyang ito at i-update kung kailangan,” Hontiveros said in a separate statement.

Proposed Senate Resolution No. 509 seeks to determine whether Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, and the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers provide sufficient protection for households that have, for several months, raised concerns over irregular electricity bills caused by erroneous meter readings.

The resolution mentioned complaints from consumers who received unusually high electricity bills due to incorrect meter readings.

The resolution further stated that although the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers recognizes the right to question electricity bills, the ERC's advisory requires households to pay disputed charges as a prerequisite to contesting the erroneous billing.

The resolution also pointed out that “while the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers provides consumers with the right to protest a disputed bill, it does not address the impact of a bill shock to distressed consumers who, faced with unclear policies, feel compelled to pay the disputed amount for fear of disconnection”.

“Ang nakikita kong dapat gawin ay iwasto ang Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers. Dapat klaro na kapag may maling singil, hindi mapwersa ang mga kababayan natin na magbayad para makaiwas sa abala,” Hontiveros added. — (FREEMAN)