State-owned National Power Corp. asked the Energy Regulatory Commission to approve a petition to collect P13.3 billion from the universal charge for missionary electrification, or UCME, that will bring the UCME rate to P0.1530 per kilowatt-hour.
Napocor’s petition is expected to push up power rates again.
The proposed basic universal charge for missionary electrification for 2018 of P0.1530 per kWh will result in an increase of P0.035 per kWh in the UCME rate of P0.1163 per kWh. The UCME is collected from all power users around the country.
Napocor said the proposed basic UCME rate of P0.1530 per kWh was necessary in order to cover requirements to maintain reliable and stable funding source for its operating costs, including sufficient subsidy payment to generators and developers.