Sec. Cusi directs NPC to improve operation efficiency before increasing power rates to off-grid consumers

Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi asked National Power Corporation (NPC) President Pio Benavidez to improve the corporation’s operating efficiency and reduce the true costs of generation and missionary subsidies in off-grid areas before moving to increase generation rates to be shouldered by electricity consumers.

This directive came after careful consideration of the formal application filed by the NPC with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to increase the missionary generation charge in off-grid islands in Luzon by a total of P2.9140 per kilowatt hour (kWh). This would raise said charge from the current rate of P5.6404 to P8.5544/kWh.