The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) clarified Tuesday that unpaid obligations in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) are not passed on to consumers, rejecting concerns of pricing malpractice and consumer burden.
This statement follows calls from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) urging action over defaults by WESM participants. IEMOP stressed that such unpaid dues remain receivables of generation companies from defaulting distribution utilities (DUs) and electric cooperatives (ECs), not end-users.
“IEMOP has consistently enforced WESM rules, issuing default notices, imposing penalties, and suspending violators to protect compliant participants and uphold market discipline,” it said.
While welcoming PCCI’s support for market accountability, IEMOP echoed the call for transparency in Retail Electricity Supplier (RES) billing practices under the government’s Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) program.
The clarification aims to ease consumer apprehension and signal regulatory commitment to a fair and transparent electricity market.
