Kristine-hit areas get relief from power bills

POWER distribution firms have been told to temporarily halt disconnections and ease payment rules for consumers in areas that were devastated by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which tore through Luzon last week.

This is in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’.s directive that the Energy Regulatory Commission study the imposition of a moratorium on disconnections and payment collections, the agency said in an advisory on Wednesday.

All distribution utilities (DUs) in areas placed under a state of calamity were ordered not to disconnect power to residential and non-residential consumers who do not pay their bills for October up to December, but only if consumption does not exceed 200 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

DUs in affected areas should also provide flexible payment options to help ease the burden on consumers seeking to recover from the impact of Kristine.

“As such, they shall implement a payment scheme wherein consumers whose monthly consumption do not exceed 200 kWh shall be allowed to pay on a staggered basis the bills for the last 3 months of 2024 for at least a 6-month time frame, starting from the issuance of the statement of account for each bill,” the ERC said.

For affected consumers whose consumption exceeds 200 kWh, DUs may offer alternative payment terms that are mutually agreeable to both parties.

“Consumers are encouraged to contact their respective DUs to inquire about the available alternative payment options or to request special terms to settle outstanding bills,” the ERC said.

Power generators, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm), National Power Corp. (NPC), National Transmission Corp. (Transco), National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), independent power producers (IPPs), independent power producer administrators (IPPAs) and the market operator or the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc. (IEMOP) should also offer the same payment schemes to affected DUs “only insofar as the latter’s collections from the affected consumers. “

“[T]he concerned DUs shall segregate payments from the affected consumers in order to determine the amounts to be paid on a similar staggered basis to their respective generators, PSALM, NPC, TransCo, NGCP, IPPs, IPPAs and IEMOP,” the ERC said.

“In addition, the availment of prompt payment discount will still be in accordance with the parties’ approved supply contract,” it added.