MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Electric Company (Meralco)  lowered overall electricity rates to P9.8385 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for this month, the company announced on Tuesday, January 8.

The downward adjustment of P0.3418 per kWh from December’s P10.1803 per kWh means a decrease of around P68 in the bill of a typical household consuming 200 kWh per month.

For households consuming 500 kWh, a reduction of P170 is expected.

The decrease is mainly the result of a reduction in the cost of power from Meralco’s Power Supply Agreements. 

Charges from the wholesale electricity spot market also went down due to improvement in the Luzon power situation.

While consumers will enjoy lower rates, Meralco encouraged customers to continue practicing energy efficiency initiatives to manage electricity consumption.

Some of the tips include:

• Unplugging appliances when not in use to avoid “phantom load.”
• Using the aircon at mid-setting or at 25 degrees Celsius for maximum efficiency.
• Using a power board or strip which can supply power to several appliances at once and can allow a user to conveniently turn them off simultaneously with just one switch.
• Maximizing natural light during daytime and keeping appliances well maintained to ensure optimal performance. 

– Rappler.com