ERC confirms PPA charges of 10 ECs

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approved in its January 11, 2005 regular meeting the refund for Purchased Power Adjustment (PPA) over-recoveries made by six electric cooperatives (ECs) from their customers. Four ECs, on the other hand, were authorized to collect from its customers PPA under-recoveries.

Over-recovery or under-recovery is the difference between the actual power costs incurred by an EC and the actual charges it collected from electricity end-users.

ECs ordered to refund to its customers are:
Name of Cooperative
Over recoveries (PhP)
Over recoveries (PhP/kWh)
Period covered
La Union Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LUELCO)
99,863,348.00
0.1583
Feb. 1996 to April 2004
Quezon II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (QUEZELCO II)
5,298,339.00
0.1009
Jan. 2000 to Nov. 2003
Lubang Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LUBELCO)
444,098.00
0.0416
Feb. 1996 to July 2004
Masbate Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MASELCO)
5,413,727.00
0.0315
Feb. 1996 to May 2004
Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DORECO)
7,213,758.00
0.0259
Feb. 1996 to April 2004
Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (OMECO)
5,494,384.00
0.0259
Feb. 1996 to March 2004

ECs granted by the Commission to collect PPA under-recoveries from its customers include:
Name of Cooperative
Under recoveries (PhP)
Under recoveries (PhP/kWh)
Period covered
Leyte I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LEYECO I)
8,695,036.00
0.0496
Feb. 1996 to Aug. 2004
Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PANELCO I)
4,733,667.00
0.0197
Feb. 1996 to Sept. 2003
Iloilo I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO I)
3,901,711.00
0.0069
Feb. 1996 to Aug. 2003
Romblon Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ROMELCO)

a. Romblon

b. Sibuyan Island
2,200,404.00


176,762.00

158,798.00

0.0761


0.0259

0.0627

Feb. 1996 to Dec. 1997


Dec. 1999 to March 2004

Jan. 1998 to Nov. 1999

“As a regulator, it is incumbent upon ERC to protect the interests of both the electricity providers and that of the consumers. The Commission makes sure that charges to electricity consumers are fair and just,” ERC Chairman Rodolfo B. Albano, Jr. said.

The Commission will issue an Order for the PPA confirmations, specifying the date when the refund or payment will commence.

PPA carries adjustment charges on power costs drawn from the National Power Corporation (NPC) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). It includes charges on system losses, power actually used by the ECs in the discharge of its mandate but not to exceed 1% of its total kWh purchased. These charges are being carefully examined by the ERC prior to confirmation. With the unbundling of electricity rates as required under Section 36 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), this cost component is no longer a separate component in the electricity bill as it is reflected in the billings appropriately.

January 14, 2005