RATE HIKE TO JOLT MERALCO CONSUMERS

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) consumers will get an electrifying shock this month as the power company will implement a significant power rate increase owing to the maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas plant, which supplies power to huge areas in Luzon.

Meralco said that power rates may be raised by more than P2, or up to P2.50 per kilowatt hour. This would mean a P500 increase in the electricity bills of a typical household consuming an average of 200 kilowatt-hours a month.