Energy & Mining

Electricity prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market climbed 3.1 percent in September, according to the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines. The Independent Electricity Market Operators of the Philippines or IEMOP reported Tuesday that the national average hit P7.43 per kilowatt-hour as of September 25, up from August’s P7.21 per kWh. It said the rates will be used to calculate spot-market electricity costs billed this October.

Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) has criticized the Department of Energy (DOE) over auction rules governing the Semirara coal mine, claiming that procedural flaws and onerous conditions effectively prevent the long-time operator from participating in the bidding process.

Following back-to-back price cuts in previous months, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) on Monday announced an electricity rate increase of ₱0.3191 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for October. The adjustment pushes the overall rate for a typical household to ₱15.0615 per kWh, up from ₱14.7424 per kWh in September.

Alsons Power Group is accelerating its renewable energy expansion as Mindanao confronts a narrowing electricity supply buffer, with projections pointing to the potential exhaustion of excess generation capacity by 2028 amid sustained demand growth.

For the second week in a row, Filipinos will see mixed changes in fuel prices starting Tuesday. The Department of Energy confirmed Monday that gasoline will go up by P1.56 per liter and kerosene by P1.77 per liter, while diesel will drop by a bigger P3.01 per liter. As of Tuesday morning, only Seaoil has officially announced these new rates, matching the adjustments noted by the DOE. Last week, gasoline rose P1.93 per liter, kerosene P3.30 per liter, and diesel dipped P1.30 per liter.