Residential power rates in Negros Occidental decreased in December due to a lower price in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), the venue for trading electricity as a commodity in the country.

The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) reported a reduction of P1.3139 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to only P11.8995 per kWh in December from P13.2134 kWh in November.

“This is due to the decrease in the market price of WESM of P1.8037 per kWh,” the management said.

Noneco, which covers the cities of Victorias, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, and San Carlos, and the municipalities of E.B. Magalona, Manapla, Toboso, and Calatrava, also purchases power supply from Green Core Geothermal Inc. (GCGI), Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC), and Panay Energy Development Corp.

Meanwhile, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) announced a downward adjustment of P0.9754 per kWh in December, with the current month’s rate of P10.7694 per kWh, from P11.7448 kWh in November.

The rate reduction came from the decrease in total generation charges by 10.82 percent from the previous month after a drop in the WESM price of P1.5577 per kWh.

Ceneco, which also has power supply agreements with GCGI, PCPC, and Central Negros Power Reliability Inc., serves consumers in the cities of Bago, Talisay, Silay, and the municipalities of Murcia and Bago. (PNA)