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Advocates Philippines
Big Savings This May: Meralco Announces Major Drop In Power Rates Just In Time For The Dry Season
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Here’s a bit of good news that’s sure to lighten the mood—and your electricity bill.
Meralco has just announced that electricity rates are going down this May 2025! Yup, you read that right. While it’s usually the time of year when power consumption (and bills!) shoot up, the country’s biggest power distributor is giving consumers some much-needed relief.
According to Joe R. Zaldarriaga, Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications, customers can expect a ₱0.75 per kilowatt-hour reduction in their electricity rates this month. That brings the average household rate down to ₱12.26 per kWh from last month’s ₱13.01.
What does that look like in real pesos?
• Households using 200 kWh will save around ₱150
• 300 kWh? That’s ₱225 less
• 400 kWh gets you ₱300 in savings
• And for those using 500 kWh, expect your bill to be trimmed by ₱375
Why the big drop?
The rate cut is thanks to lower generation and transmission charges. Here’s a quick breakdown:
• Generation charges went down by ₱0.31 per kWh, mainly due to better supply from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and lower charges from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
• WESM charges dropped significantly by ₱1.14 per kWh thanks to improved supply in the Luzon Grid.
• IPP charges also dipped by ₱0.96 per kWh, helped by a stronger peso and better plant performance.
Even though charges from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) rose a bit (₱0.19 per kWh), the strong peso helped cushion the increase.
Add to that a ₱0.2970 per kWh decrease in transmission charges, plus a slight dip in taxes and other charges, and you’ve got a nice cut in your May bill.
No major power glitches during elections
Meralco also made sure the May 12 midterm elections went off without a hitch—at least power-wise. Nearly 3,000 Meralco crew members were on standby across polling and canvassing centers, ready with over 160 generator sets and 470+ floodlights to ensure the lights stayed on and the votes got counted.
“Any minor issues were fixed right away, so the voting process in our coverage area went smoothly,” Zaldarriaga shared.
Tips to keep your bills even lower
Even with the lower rates, Meralco is encouraging everyone to keep practicing energy efficiency, especially while we’re still in the hot, power-hungry dry season.
Here are some easy tips:
• Clean your aircon filters and fan blades regularly.
• Iron clothes in batches instead of daily.
• Avoid overloading your fridge.
• Use LED bulbs instead of incandescent ones.
Check out the Meralco Appliance Calculator to understand which gadgets are guzzling energy.
So, if you’ve been dreading your May electric bill—breathe easy. This month’s drop in power rates is a welcome break, and it might just be the best news your wallet hears all week.
Meralco has just announced that electricity rates are going down this May 2025! Yup, you read that right. While it’s usually the time of year when power consumption (and bills!) shoot up, the country’s biggest power distributor is giving consumers some much-needed relief.
According to Joe R. Zaldarriaga, Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications, customers can expect a ₱0.75 per kilowatt-hour reduction in their electricity rates this month. That brings the average household rate down to ₱12.26 per kWh from last month’s ₱13.01.
What does that look like in real pesos?
• Households using 200 kWh will save around ₱150
• 300 kWh? That’s ₱225 less
• 400 kWh gets you ₱300 in savings
• And for those using 500 kWh, expect your bill to be trimmed by ₱375
Why the big drop?
The rate cut is thanks to lower generation and transmission charges. Here’s a quick breakdown:
• Generation charges went down by ₱0.31 per kWh, mainly due to better supply from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and lower charges from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
• WESM charges dropped significantly by ₱1.14 per kWh thanks to improved supply in the Luzon Grid.
• IPP charges also dipped by ₱0.96 per kWh, helped by a stronger peso and better plant performance.
Even though charges from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) rose a bit (₱0.19 per kWh), the strong peso helped cushion the increase.
Add to that a ₱0.2970 per kWh decrease in transmission charges, plus a slight dip in taxes and other charges, and you’ve got a nice cut in your May bill.
No major power glitches during elections
Meralco also made sure the May 12 midterm elections went off without a hitch—at least power-wise. Nearly 3,000 Meralco crew members were on standby across polling and canvassing centers, ready with over 160 generator sets and 470+ floodlights to ensure the lights stayed on and the votes got counted.
“Any minor issues were fixed right away, so the voting process in our coverage area went smoothly,” Zaldarriaga shared.
Tips to keep your bills even lower
Even with the lower rates, Meralco is encouraging everyone to keep practicing energy efficiency, especially while we’re still in the hot, power-hungry dry season.
Here are some easy tips:
• Clean your aircon filters and fan blades regularly.
• Iron clothes in batches instead of daily.
• Avoid overloading your fridge.
• Use LED bulbs instead of incandescent ones.
Check out the Meralco Appliance Calculator to understand which gadgets are guzzling energy.
So, if you’ve been dreading your May electric bill—breathe easy. This month’s drop in power rates is a welcome break, and it might just be the best news your wallet hears all week.
May 19, 2025
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