Viewpoint: Comparing Philippine Electricity Rates vs Asean – Just the Facts
by Engr. Joselito Villarey
Meralco SL of 6+% reflect the average of generation which is negligible due to pass of similar with transmission, hence if you get the average of general transmission that are negligible combine with distance which is quite high will give an competitive ave of 6%+ only! Why not request the unbundle valued of gen, trans and dist. And if their loss is low, why the rate still high? This is because of many pass on rate projects. Say prepaid meter for residential w/c is free, but the cost of meter is to be recovered from the electricity fee by all consumers as Meralco Capex, Unfortunately, this Pre paid meter teaches only consumers to be aware of their consumption and no benefit is gained by any party (utility of consumer)
Its only a gimmick and maybe tongpats in purchases. Now this bad example is duplicated by some electric cooperative on the same scheme- no benefit, only the purchase to be given free, this will not even reduce systems loss. At Php4,500/ piece for, say 1,000 consumers.
Is Php4.5 M, hence a 10,000 consumers availing is Php45M! What if 20k consumers for free, this will collapse an electric coop… Pls look also into electric coop consumer welfare.. Tongpats of Capex..
(Joselito Villarey is a Professional Electrical Engineer, License No. 01930. He is a graduate of National University with a degree in BSEE, Major in Industrial Management with some units in Law. He has been in the power industry since 1980 starting with the National Electrification Administration (NEA). He transferred to the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) as Assistant General Manager, then Executive Planning Officer, and then availed of early separation in 2015. He had been a member of the Distribution Management Committee of the ERC representing electric Coop for Luzon. He was also awarded as one of The Outstanding Energy Manager (TOEM) for 1998 by the DOE and ENMAP. A past Grand Knight, past president of Rotary Club, IIEE Sr. Member and IEEE, USA member for 14 years, he has attended some seminars locally and abroad including some schoolings in Power College in Bangkok, ASEAN Residential School for Electric Power Engineering in UNITEN, Malaysia, and Distribution System Improvement and Customer Service Enhancement in KEPCO So. Korea, and Systems Protection Basler Electric in USA. At present he is the proprietor of Management Information and Distribution Allied Services, a training/seminar service provider based in Baguio.)
