Negros Power Explains July 2026 Electricity Rate Adjustment And Measures To Ease Consumer Impact

Negros Electric and Power Corporation (Negros Power) has announced a slight increase in electricity rates for July 2026, attributing the adjustment to higher electricity generation costs driven by conditions in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

While rates increased during the month, the distribution utility said it adopted measures to reduce the immediate financial impact on consumers by spreading a portion of the higher generation costs over several billing periods.

Residential Rates See Modest Increase

For July 2026, the average residential electricity rate rose to ₱14.1287 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), an increase of ₱0.2870/kWh from June’s ₱13.8417/kWh.

The average electricity rates for July are as follows:

• Residential: ₱14.1287/kWh
• Low Voltage: ₱14.0494/kWh
• High Voltage: ₱13.1864/kWh

Compared with the previous month’s rates:

• Residential customers recorded an increase of ₱0.2870/kWh
• Low Voltage customers saw an increase of ₱0.3025/kWh
• High Voltage customers experienced an increase of ₱0.3170/kWh

Higher WESM Prices Drove the Adjustment

Negros Power explained that the rate increase was primarily caused by higher electricity prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

According to the company, electricity prices in the wholesale market increased due to stronger demand and the limited availability of several power generation facilities. These conditions resulted in the declaration of Yellow Alerts and Red Alerts in both the Luzon and Visayas grids, leading to higher generation costs.

Since generation charges are passed on directly to consumers, fluctuations in market prices can affect monthly electricity bills.

Staggered Recovery to Help Consumers

To help minimize the impact of the higher generation costs, Negros Power implemented a staggered recovery scheme for WESM charges.

Instead of recovering the full increase in a single billing cycle, the company will distribute the remaining balance over the next six months. This approach limited the increase in the generation charge for July to only ₱0.20/kWh, helping soften what could have been a larger adjustment in consumers’ monthly bills.

The utility said the staggered recovery demonstrates its effort to balance financial obligations while helping customers manage rising electricity costs.

Encouraging Efficient Energy Use

Negros Power continues to encourage consumers to adopt energy-saving practices to help reduce electricity consumption and better manage their monthly expenses.

Simple measures such as switching off unused appliances, using energy-efficient lighting, and avoiding unnecessary electricity usage during peak hours can contribute to lower power bills.

Commitment to Transparency

The company reaffirmed its commitment to keeping consumers informed about the factors influencing electricity rates, particularly those related to power generation costs and wholesale market conditions.

Negros Power also emphasized that it remains focused on delivering reliable electricity service while maintaining transparency in explaining changes in monthly billing.

As market conditions continue to influence electricity prices, the utility said it will continue to provide timely updates and pursue measures that help mitigate the impact of future rate adjustments on consumers.