Visayan Electric has limited the increase in its residential electricity rate for August to just P0.06 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), preventing what the utility said could have been a much steeper P2.10/kWh increase amid power supply shortages across the Visayas Grid.
The adjustment brings the overall residential rate this month to P14.96/kWh, instead of the projected P17.00/kWh rate.
For a household using around 200 kWh monthly, the six-centavo increase translates to an additional P12 on the electricity bill. Visayan Electric said its measures effectively spared consumers an estimated P420 in potential additional charges.
The August adjustment is the fifth consecutive monthly increase in power rates since April, underscoring the continued pressure on electricity costs in Metro Cebu.
Visayan Electric said rate increase was largely driven by higher prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), increased transmission charges linked to rising ancillary service costs, and a continuing shortage in power supply across the Visayas Grid.
The utility said it worked with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and its power suppliers and implemented measures to mitigate the impact of these external pressures on consumers.
Visayan Electric President and General Manager Mark Anthony Kindica said the company is focused on limiting the effect of volatile power market conditions on households.
‘We understand the importance of every peso to our customers,’ Kindica said in a statement, adding that the company continues to optimize its power sourcing to keep rate adjustments as low as possible.
He also expressed hope that cooler temperatures during the coming ‘Ber’ months would reduce electricity demand, help stabilize market prices and eventually ease pressure on consumers’ monthly bills.
With electricity rates continuing to fluctuate, Visayan Electric is encouraging customers to manage their consumption by setting air conditioners at 24°C to 25°C, unplugging appliances and electronic devices when not in use, and monitoring household electricity use through the utility’s appliance calculator.
The company also urged consumers to report suspected illegal connections, which it said can be reported anonymously through its designated telephone, email and online reporting channels.
Visayan Electric serves Metro Cebu and neighboring municipalities and is part of the Aboitiz Power Distribution Utilities group.