Additional UC-ME Charge

We wish to inform our member consumer owners (MCOs) that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) rendered a decision dated March 22, 2023 approving the petition of the National Power Corporation for the recovery of the shortfall from the Universal Charge - Missionary Electrification (UC-ME) subsidy for calendar years 2013 and 2014.

In the same decision, the ERC directed all distribution utilities, including the Benguet Electric Cooperative, to collect from the MCOs the UC-ME true-up rate of PhP0.0433/kWh on top of the existing UC-ME basic rate of PhP0.1800/kWh for a period of twelve (12) months or until the full amount has been collected.

In relation, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) issued a directive to BENECO to implement the collection of the additional UC-ME of PhP0.0433/kWh.

The UC-ME charge is the Missionary Electrification Subsidy provided to Distribution Utilities and LGUs that are "off-grid" or not connected to the transmission lines and subsequently rely only on diesel powered generator sets. The subsidy was meant to help the energization of the islands.

This additional charge will be shown in the electric bills effective June 2023 billing cycle as part of the PASS THROUGH rates in the UC-ME NPC-SPUG Line item.

For more information, please refer to the attached copy of the decision of the ERC and the directive of PSALM relative to the collection of the additional UC-ME.

For everyone's guidance.

Fraiser P. Angayen
Officer-in-Charge, NNSD