Bohol power firm explains rate hike

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  â€” Electric bills here increased this month, but the Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) is quick to appease consumers that “it is to the best interest of our valued consumers” in the effort to continue providing quality service to its franchise area in this city.     

In a press statement, BLCI manager Eulogio and company press relations officer May Hope Arcenal said their company managed to maintain the increase at “a cheaper rate.”     

Arcenal said: “You might notice an increase in your April billing. This is due to an increase in the universal charges-stranded contract costs (UC-SCC) of P0.1938 per kWh, collected by PSALM, per Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision dated January 28, 2013.”    

She further explained that “the approved UC-SCC rate takes effect starting the March 2013 billing period. All electricity consumers will pay this charge to their respective distribution utilities, like BLCI, which shall remit all collections to PSALM, as administrator of the UC fund.”

BLCI however just received a copy of the decision early March this year and it already started distributing its March billing, she added. “On top of that, BLCI has to re-program its computer billing system which takes time,” said Arcenal.

As such, BLCI has to collect in behalf of PSALM because the UC “is a completely pass-on charge amongst other charges. The additional UC-SCC in your April billing, comprises the months of March and April,” she said. 

BLCI also assured the public that “this is just for the month of April, and the normal increase in the UC-SCC of P0.1938/kWh will be reflected in month of May billing and onwards.” 

The UC of P0.1938/kWh will be imposed “until a new UC-SCC is determined by the ERC following the annual true-up application, which PSALM shall file on or before the 5th day of March each year for any excess or deficiency in the UC collections for settling NPC’s stranded contract costs,” said Arcenal, while attributing the hike in the billing to the rise in WESM prices. (FREEMAN)