Meralco vows to adjust next monthly bill

By Alena Mae S. Flores – May 14, 2020 at 09:00 pm
from manilastandard.net

The Energy Regulatory Commission and power retailer Manila Electric Co. said the next electricity bill will be adjusted to reflect the difference between actual meter readings and the estimates made at the height of the Luzon-wide lockdown.

“Customers can rest assured that since the time meter reading resumed at the beginning of May, the true and actual readings already began to be reflected in the bills, with accuracy guaranteed,” Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said.

He said the meter reading was put on hold in the past months to ensure the safety of Meralco employees, customers and meter readers amid the coronavirus pandemic that placed Metro Manila under the enhanced community quarantine.

Zaldarriaga said the bills of households with meters scheduled to be read from March 17 to April 30 were based on the customer’s average consumption in the previous three months. Meralco used the consumption of December, January and February as the basis of the computation.

Zaldarriaga said that as some power rates of consumers went up based on the estimated cumulative consumption compared to the actual reading, the difference was eventually posted in the May billing.

“But rest assured, the difference between the estimated three-month average and the actual meter read [after ECQ is lifted] is definitely reflected on the customer’s next bill and corresponding charges will be adjusted. You are assured that when all adjustments are made, you pay for only what you consumed,” Zaldarriaga said.

Zaldarriaga asked for customers’ understanding as the bill estimation was prescribed by the Distribution Services and Open Access Rules issued by the ERC and urged consumers to contact the company if they have concerns with their meter reading.

ERC spokesman Floresinda Digal assured that bill adjustments would be made as soon as actual meter reading is possible. She said the ERC would review the computations of Meralco in the wake of consumer complaints.

“There are rules in place that allow us to validate the computations,” Digal said, adding that ERC’s Consumer Affairs Service are open to accepting complaints through email and its Facebook page.