Power rates going up, but not due to oil crisisMANILA, Philippines — Amid surging fuel prices, households served by power utility Meralco will see their bills rise this month by P0.6427 per kilowatt-hour – but not yet because of the crisis in the Middle East. At yesterday’s press conference, Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga attributed the rate hike to higher transmission and generation charges. The generation charge, meanwhile, rose by P0.2209 per kWh due to higher costs of power purchased by Meralco from suppliers. Pass-through charges for generation and transmission are paid to power producers and the grid operator, respectively. Fluctuations in the peso against the greenback may also affect electricity rates next month, as some power supply contracts are priced in dollars, Fernandez said.

Source: Philippine Star March 10, 2026 16:34 UTC