Hike in overall transmission charges in January power bill

CEBU, Philippines — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) announced yesterday that power consumers can expect a slight increase in overall transmission charges in their electric power bills this month.

The NGCP said that both transmission wheeling rates, or what NGCP charges for its primary service of delivering power, and Ancillary Services (AS) charges for the December 2024 billing period increased, with AS rates of four percent higher at P0.5928/kwh compared to P0.5699/kWh in November 2024.

Ancillary Service charges pertains to the cost for AS sourced from the AS Reserve Market and those for AS providers with bilateral contracts with NGCP.

The NGCP said that transmission wheeling rates are at P0.5315/kwh from P0.4957/kwh.

Overall transmission charges are at P1.2584/kwh in the December 2024 billing period compared to P1.1966 in November.

“Of the overall transmission charge, only 53 centavos is charged by NGCP for the delivery of its services to power consumers. This month's transmission charge is still comprised mainly of AS charges remitted directly to power generators providing ancillary services to the grid,” said NGCP in a statement.

 It also emphasized that it does not earn from AS and did not benefit from the increase in prices.

“AS charges are pass-through, and generating companies benefited from this increase. AS are support services used to balance and stabilize the grid during power supply-demand imbalance,” said the NGCP. JG (CEBU NEWS)