Higher electricity prices expected this ‘summer’ in Metro Cebu
![A Visayan Electric personnel delivers an electric bill to a consumer in Cebu City in this August 2022 photo. | File Photo [Veco]](https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/files/2025/04/electric-bill-1024x683.jpeg)
A Visayan Electric personnel delivers an electric bill to a consumer in Cebu City in this August 2022 photo. | File Photo [Veco]
Distributor Visayan Electric announced on Monday, April 21 that there will be a P1.14 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) increase in residential rates, bringing the total residential rate to P11.78/kWh.
To illustrate, a household consuming 200 kWh can expect an increase of P228 on their monthly bill.
READ: Electricity-saving tips to help you cut power costs this summer
The new rates will be reflected on their April and May billing,
“This is the first upward adjustment in Visayan Electric electricity prices since December 2024,” Visayan Electric wrote in a statement.
The country’s second largest power distributor pointed to the rise in electricity prices in the Wholesale Eletricity Spot Market (Wesm), the global trading platform dedicated to buying and selling electricity, as the primary reason behind the recent increase in power rates.
“While we understand that any increase in electricity rates can be burdensome, this adjustment is a result of market dynamics beyond our control,” said Raul Lucero, president and chief operating officer of Visayan Electric.
READ: Electricity rates in PH: Why are they high?
The increase in rates also coincides with the summer season which the utility firm expects a surge in power demand due to the hot and humid weather all throughout April and May.
The state weather bureau forecasts heat index temperatures to reach ‘extreme caution to dangerous’ categories for this summer, and may reach up to 42 degrees Celsius.
“As temperatures climb, we naturally turn to cooling appliances to make our homes livable. But we must also be conscious of our energy use to avoid bill shock at the end of the month,” Lucero said.
READ: Marcos calls for PH-wide energy-saving measures
To save costs on electricity, Visayan Electric gives some tips on how to save costs on electricity.These include setting air conditioners to 25°C or higher and use electric fans to circulate cool air, and ensuring rooms are properly sealed to prevent cool air from escaping.
These also include unplugging appliances when not in use because several electric devices consume electricity on standby mode.
Visayan Electric covers the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay, Naga, and the towns of Consolacion, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.
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