Cebeco 2 to hike power rates in February

ANOTHER power distributor in Cebu will increase its electricity rates next month to compensate for the expected increase in supply rates from power generators with the implementation of the first package of the government’s new tax reform law.

The Cebu Electric Cooperative 2 (Cebeco 2), a cooperative distributing power to the towns and cities in northern Cebu, said in a message sent to Cebu Daily News through Facebook, the increase in their electricity rates is expected next month or in February.

Cebeco 2’s move came as the Visayan Electric Company, which distributes power to most cities and towns in the Metro Cebu area, announced a 2 to 4 centavo increase per kilowatt hour next month.

Both power distributors are increasing their electricity rates because of the new tax reform law — Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law imposes a higher excise tax on coal products, which are used to fuel these firms’ coal-fired power plants to generate power.

Under the Train Law, the excise tax of coal products of P10 per metric tons will be increased to P50 per metric ton in the first year and P150 per metric ton in the third year.

“The bill due for January (2018) is the electricity used by the consumer in December 2017. This means that there will be no additional charges to be imposed on the consumer’s bill for this period because the Train Law has not yet taken effect at that time,” Cebeco 2 said in Cebuano.

“It (the increase) will take effect next month with our basis for the increase to come from our power supplier’s bill,” Cebeco 2 said in Cebuano.
Cebeco 2 said that they could not provide how much would be the increase because they were still computing this.

Cebeco – 2, with its main office based in Bogo City, supplies electricity to the towns of Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Borbon, Carmen, Compostela, and Danao City.

CDN also called Cebeco 1, which distributes power to southern Cebu towns and cities, and Cebeco 3, which provides power to a city and towns in Central Cebu, but also to no avail because those who were working at the electric distributors’ offices on Saturday had no authority to provide information and updates on their electricity rates since their office days are from Monday to Friday only.

Cebeco 1 covers the southern towns of Santander, Samboan, Malabuyoc, Boljoon, Badian, Alegria, Ginatilan, Moalboal, Ronda, Alcantara, Alcoy, Dumanjug, Barili, Dalaguete, Argao, Sibonga, and Carcar City.

Meanwhile, Cebeco – 3’s coverage is within Central Cebu which includes the towns of Balamban, Asturias, Pinamungajan, Aloguinsan, and Toledo City.

CDN tried to contact the Camotes Electric Cooperative (Celco) and Bantayan Electric Cooperative (Banelco) for updates but any attempts were futile.

Celco supplies electricity to the towns of Poro, Tudela, San Francisco and Pilar in Camotes Island while Banelco to the three municipalities comprising Bantayan Island – Bantayan, Santa Fe, and Madridejos.