CATARMAN, Northern Samar— Electricity consumers in Northern Samar may soon see lower power bills following an Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) action involving line rental charges in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco) said.
Norsamelco General Manager Engr. Hector Tabilisma said the ERC action came after a strong public appeal for the review or temporary removal of line rental charges in WESM.
More than 6,900 signatures were gathered through a campaign calling for the charges to be reviewed, reflecting concerns over their impact on electricity rates in the province.
Tabilisma said Norsamelco is hopeful that the ERC action will eventually translate into lower power rates for its consumers.
However, he said the cooperative cannot yet provide an exact amount or percentage of any potential reduction because it is still awaiting an official advisory from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP).
The advisory is expected to clarify the impact of the ERC action on electricity charges and allow NORSAMELCO to determine how much, if any, savings could be passed on to consumers.
Northern Samar consumers will have to wait for the official announcement before the expected reduction in electricity bills can be confirmed.
(EUGENE M. ENANO)
