Average residential power rates of the three distribution utilities in Negros Occidental increased this month due to higher price in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), the venue for trading electricity in the country.

The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) reported an upward adjustment of P2.5709 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), from P11.9965 in March to P14.5674 in April.

“The increase is due to the P2.4557 increase in the price of electricity from the WESM,” its management said in a statement yesterday.

Noneco serves the localities in the northern part of the province from E.B. Magalona town down to San Carlos City.

In this city, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) said the residential electricity rate this month went up to P11.9566 per kWh, higher by P1.7287 compared to only P10.2279 in March.

“This is mainly attributed to the increase in WESM price from P5.5616 to P8.0879 or an upward adjustment of P2.5264,” it said in an advisory.

The Ceneco coverage area includes the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Silay, and Talisay, as well as the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto.

“In monitoring the monthly electricity usage, consumers are advised to look at their kilowatt-hour consumption and not on the bill amount, since it varies depending on the pass-through charges,” the Ceneco management said.

In the south, the service area of Noceco, power rates went up by P3.4742 per kWh, from P11.1567 in March to P14.6309 in April.

“The main factor in the increase in generation charge is the P4.5019 per kWh increase in the energy cost from the WESM,” its management said in a statement.

It added that Noceco had “a bigger exposure to the spot market” since its baseload power supplier, Palm Concepcion Power Corp., has been under preventive maintenance since February 18 this year. (PNA)