The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported a 4.6 percent increase in its transmission rate for the May 2025 billing period, bringing the rate to P1.1482 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from April’s P1.0978 per kWh.
NGCP officials, in a briefing held Wednesday, attributed the hike to a significant 9.29 percent increase in ancillary service (AS) rates, which rose to P0.5655 per kWh from P0.5175 per kWh in April. AS costs are linked to power reserves used during system disturbances and are passed on to consumers through power bills.
Meanwhile, transmission wheeling rates—the fee for delivering electricity—slightly declined by 0.27 percent, from P0.4605 to P0.4593 per kWh. Julius Ryan Datinggaling, NGCP’s head of revenue management, said the overall rate hike reflects higher costs in the Reserve Market, where NGCP sources part of its AS supply.
For Meralco customers, the rate change translates to a P0.0214 per kWh increase in their June bills. NGCP noted that while transmission rate changes can either raise or reduce end-user power rates, the impact varies depending on market conditions and sourcing strategies.
