Leyte power consumers enjoy lower rates

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Feb. 1  -- Consumers of the Leyte V Electric Cooperative (Leyeco V) experienced lower electricity rates last December compared to the previous month.

Leyeco V information and training officer Monroe Magdadaro bared on Thursday that their residential rate in December was PHP8.28 per kilowatt hour (kwh), which was 55 centavos less than the PHP8.83 they charged in November.

For industrial low voltage or small businesses that required their own transformers, such as rice mills and welding shops, the December 2017 rate was PHP7.35/kwh, or 55 centavos less than the PHP7.90/kwh they paid the previous month. Large load establishments paid PHP5.78/kwh in December, down 52 centavos from November’s PHP6.30/kwh. 

Magdadaro attributed the lower rates to Leyeco V’s electricity source mix.

“Majority or 77 percent of its power requirements came from San Miguel Energy Corp., 17 percent from GMC Power, and 6 percent from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market,” he said.

Leyeco V is set to enter a 25-year contract with GN Power Ltd. Co. in 2019 that would assure stable prices.

Another contributing factor to Leyeco V’s low rate is the manageable system loss.

Under the law, electric coops can pass on system loss charge to consumers at 25 centavos/kwh if it reaches 12 percent. 

However, Leyeco V’s prevailing system loss is only 7.65 percent, which points to its efficient distribution system. 

The power cooperative is tasked to energize about 74,220 households in the 417 villages in Leyte, covering Ormoc City and the towns of Merida, Isabel, Palompon, Villaba, Tabango, San Isidro, Calubi-an, Leyte, Matag-ob, Kananga, and Albuera. (FNC/PNA)