MANILA - Power rates may rise next year after the Energy Regulatory Commission approved the collection of the remaining 70 percent of the reserve trading amounts incurred during the earlier part of 2024 as part of the National Grid Corporation's ancillary services.

This translates to around P4 billion that will be passed on to consumers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Consumers in Luzon will face an increase of P0.12 per kilowatt-hour for 3 months beginning January, P0.12/kWh for Visayas consumers for 6 months starting January and P0.03/kWh for Mindanao consumers for 3 months.

When asked if the ERC can no longer hold back this increase, ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said postponing this will incur more penalties and will also affect the rates for summer 2025.

For December rates, Meralco said some factors may push overall prices up like weaker peso versus the US dollar and some outages of several power plants.

But Meralco Spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said the final computation will be out in the middle of next week.

MWSS INFORMATION CENTER

Meanwhile, the MWSS has inaugurated its information center that will update stakeholders including the media, on the status of major water projects of Maynilad and Manila Water as well as San Miguel's Bulacan bulk water.

MWSS admin Bobby Cleofas said the center will also provide information on dam levels, water interruptions, and maintenance works of concessionaires.

When asked about the status of Kaliwa Dam which is envisioned to augment Angat Dam's water supply, Cleofas says the project is 25% complete due to delays during the pandemic.

But Cleofas said the Kaliwa Project will be ready by 2027-2028 before the end of President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr's term.