Bohol Light to Hike Rates in September

Bohol Light Company Inc. (BLCI) has announced that it will increase its power rates, effective in the September 2024 billing cycle.

BLCI said the rate hike is attributed to a rise in transmission charges imposed by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which will result in higher electricity costs for consumers.

Residential consumers will see an increase of 0.89 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while commercial consumers will face a hike of 0.79 centavos per kWh.

The new rates will be P13.62 per kWh for residential consumers, up from P12.82 per kWh, and P13.26 per kWh for commercial consumers, up from P12.47 per kWh.

The NGCP’s rate increase is due to higher ancillary service costs, which have led to rate hikes across the country.

BLCI emphasized that the generation charge is a pass-through cost that does not benefit the company, and that the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) regulates power rates and allows increases in pass-through charges to be passed on to consumers.

The distribution charge, which goes to BLCI, remains unchanged.

The company urged consumers to conserve energy and reduce their power consumption to lower their electricity bills.