ILOILO CITY (PNA) – Residents of this city will have to brace themselves for an increase in their electric bill after the recent approval by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) of the Panay Electric Company's (PECO)’s electricity hike petition.

In a notice sent to its consumers, PECO, which is the lone power distributor in the city, announced that the “overall increase in rates was computed at 2.41 centavos per kilowatt-hour.”

PECO Operations Manager, Engineer Randy Pastolero said in an interview over local radio, explained that the increase in rates will vary depending on consumer classification to include residential, intermediate, commercial, city street lights, power sector, city government and other government entities.

So far, the highest will be for the residential area where distribution and metering charges have increased by 2353 centavos and 0591 centavos for every kilowatt-hour, respectively.

There was a decrease, however, of about 0432 centavos on the supply charge.

Notwithstanding such increase in power rates, Pastolero said some 17,000 consumers, or about 40 percent of entire residential consumers with minimal consumption levels covered by PECO will be benefited by the ERC’s expansion of the coverage of lifeline discounts.

Based on the new table, those consuming less than 20 kwh will have a 100 percent discount; 50 percent for those consuming 21 to 50 kwh; 45 percent for those using 51 to 60 kwh; 35 percent for consumption of between 61 to 70 kwh; 20 percent between 71 to 80 kwh and 10 percent for those consuming 81 to 95 kwh.

“A comparison between the new rates of PECO and that of cooperatives in the province of Iloilo would show that PECO is still lower by as much as P0.51 / kwh when compared to the lowest rates charged by the coops,” according to PECO’s management.

PECO’s computation encompassing distribution, supply, metering, and retail customer charges showed that the electric company only charges P1. 2798 per kwh as compared as compared to Iloilo 1 Electric Cooperative (ILECO 1)’s P1.7916 per kwh; ILECO II with P1.915/kwh and ILECO 3 with P2.1231 for every kwh.

Pastolero added that the new rates will be reflected in July’s billing cycle.