A consumer group has asked the government to defer the imposition of feed-in-tariff allowance, or FIT-All, which will increase electricity prices and hurt ordinary consumers starting April 2016.
Consumer Group CitizenWatch questioned the timing of the FIT-All implementation in the dry season, when power rates are normally at peak level.
FIT-All is a government initiative that aims to reward renewable energy producers with higher rates, but would unfairly burden the power consumers, according to consumer Group CitizenWatch.
Wind, solar and small hydro power projects are given incentives in the form of FIT rates, which will be collected by National Transmission Corp. from consumers.
The Energy Regulatory Commission approved the collection of FIT-All in March, translating into an increase of P0.08 per kilowatt-hour in power rates starting April, at a time when electricity rates typically shoot up due to higher demand. This means an additional monthly bill of P16 for a small household that consumes 200 kWh a month.