Electricity rates in Tagbilaran City takes the biggest drop in prices by almost P3 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to the much higher charges imposed by the two electric cooperatives serving the 47 municipalities of Bohol.

Bohol Light Company Inc. (BLCI), the power distributor serving Tagbilaran City, is presently charging its residential consumers Php 7.62 /kWh, from Php 10.84 /kWh in the previous billing cycle or a difference of Php 2.86 /kWh; while commercial customers are now charged Php 7.24 /kWh, from preceding rate of Php 10.13 /kWh which is lower by Php 2.89 /kWh.

A typical household here in the city that consumes about 200 kWh during this billing period will have a savings of Php 572, while a business establishment that consumes 1,000 kWh could save about Php 2,890.

Because of this huge price drop implemented by Bohol Light, city electric consumers are actually paying much less compared to customers of the Bohol Electric Cooperative (BOHECO) 1 and 2, which serve the 47 towns of the province.

BOHECO 1, the power distributor of municipalities in the southern half of Bohol, is currently charging its residential customers Php 10.15 /kWh while BOHECO 2, the electric cooperative serving the northern towns of the province, is presently charging households Php 10.26 /kWh.

Even when compared to other power utility companies and electric cooperatives outside the province, Tagbilaran City electric rates are still comparably lower.

The Visayan Electric Cooperative 1 (VECO 1), which serves the cities of Metro Cebuis charging residential consumers Php 11.25 /kWh, while Negros Oriental and Dumaguete City’s power utility, NORECO 1, is charging its residential customers P13.53 /kWh.

MUCH LOWER RATES SEEN IN COMING MONTHS

There’s more good news for Tagbilaran City power consumers as Bohol Light projects further cut-backs of its rates in the coming months.

The re-entry of renewable sources recently obtained by Bohol Light in its recent power supply agreements with energy producers is seen as a major factor in the rates reduction.

Moreover, Bohol Light’s management cites the steady decline of generation cost, particularly on the electricity spot market, as the key factor of the price cut-back.

Generation charge, which accounts for more than half of the total bill that consumers are paying, is the cost of electricity purchased from power producers.

For several months now, generation charges have consistently dropped as price of coal in the world market is also on a steady decline. (Kit Bagaipo)