LINGAYEN—Consumers can expect a rebate on their electric bills for December 2013 and January 2014 by June and July this year, according to the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative (Panelco) III, which operates in the eastern part of Pangasinan.

Engr. Allan Casem, officer-in-charge general manager of Panelco III, said during the Question Hour of the provincial board last Monday that the company already made the computations on the rebate for those two months and are just awaiting the May 12 expiry of another set of rebate for calculation based on an order by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

“We have to wait for that amount because that would also be our refund. We cannot refund yet unless we already have that amount,” Casem explained.

The adjustment can be expected at 40-50% in the June electric bills and 30-40% in July.

“Halos kalahati maibabalik,” Casem said.

The refund, Casem explained, was possible by virtue of an ERC order last March to the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) for a recomputation of their wholesale electricity spot market (WESM) prices.

Casem reiterated that the power rate hike was beyond their control as it depends on the generation charge which is variable.

“We cannot have a fixed charge for the generation because what is fixed only are distribution, supply and metering. If the generation charge increases, our rate also increases but if it decreases, then our rate also goes down because it is really dependent on the generation charge,” he added.

Consumers complained about the rate increase, prompting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to call Panelco III officials to appear during the provincial board’s Question Hour in the January 20 and 27 regular sessions.

Sixth District Board Member Ranjit Ramos Shahani, his mother, former Sen. Leticia Ramos Shahani and a leader of a local consumers’ group filed a petition before the Prosecutor’s Office in Urdaneta City for injunction against Panelco III and ERC for the electric cooperative’s “incredible, whimsical, and unjust” power rate increase implemented in December last year.

The power rate hike of P5.63 per kilowatt hour (KWH)–or from P9.80 per KWH to P15.40 per KWH–implemented in December 2013 was the second highest power rate increase in the country.

Panelco III serves about 150,000 consumers in Urdaneta City and 18 municipalities in eastern Pangasinan.–Johanne R. Macob and Tita Roces

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