NPC claims lower charge for generation
Thursday, March 16, 2006
By MYRNA M. VELASCO
State-owned National Power Corporation (NPC) claimed that its basic generation charge of P4.1227 per kilowatt hour (kWh) is lower than that of the P4.6586 per kWh of the contracted independent power producers (IPPs) of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) as billed in February passed on in the March billing of end-consumers.
However, it was shown from data provided by NPC itself that if its deferred accounting adjustment (DAA) is factored in, its generation charge would jack up to P4.9748 per kWh; and this is seen higher than the P4.6586 per kWh charge of the Meralco IPPs.
Meralco strongly refuted NPC’s claim noting that the figure of P5.2628 per kWh being quoted already included transmission cost of P0.6042 per kWh; and that was not just the basic generation charge portion.
The utility firm further stressed that its IPPs do not have DAAs in their charges; but Meralco would have its own DAA to be incorporated in the final billing to customers.
In its press statement, NPC noted that per its actual billings to Meralco from January to February, 2006, its generation charges are as follows: for December 26, 2005 to January 25, 2006 at P4.0807 per kWh; while for the period January 26 to February 26, 2006, it is at P4.1227 per kWh.
"Inclusive of the deferred accounting charges (DAAs), value-added tax, and other charges approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), NPC’s billings to Meralco covering January and February 2006 has amounted to P4.8612 per kWh and P4.9748 per kWh, respectively," the power firm has noted.
It further stressed that for the periods December 26, 2005 to January 25, 2006, the difference between NPC basic generation charge to that of Meralco’s as previously reported was P1.8656 per kWh; but the state-owned power firm failed to qualify that the Meralco figure already included transmission charges.
Meralco noted that because of the higher dispatch from its IPPs, it would be able to offer an average reduction of P0.0823 per kWh to its electricity customers in its March billing.
posted by philpower @ 4:42 PM,
