By Paulo Loreto Lim

The Central Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. (Ceneco) yesterday revealed residential rates for May 2019 will see a 7¢ drop from last month, falling from P11.1044 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P11.0280/kWh.
According to a statement from the utility co-op, around 72.7 percent of the charges originated from power rate costs, which include generation charges, transmission charges, and system loss, at a rate of P8.0139/kWh.
In addition, another 10.76 percent went to expenses, such as the Ceneco distribution, supply, metering, and reinvestment fund, as 1.1866/kWh.
Earlier this year, Ceneco Regulatory Compliance Office officer-in-charge Norman Pollentes said, if the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approves a petition by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (Philreca) allowing for real property taxes (RPT) to be passed onto member-consumers, rates could see a one to two centavo bump.
According to Philreca’s petition, passing on RPT expenses onto member-consumers is “just and equitable,” likening it to local business and franchise taxes.
Based on a statement by former Ceneco President Arnel Lapore, in 2016, it was estimated the Bacolod City government was expected to collect around P90 million in RPT from Ceneco./PLL, WDJ