Households in Ilocos Norte can expect lower electricity bills this month, after power rates dropped more than PHP2 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in November.

In a statement, the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) said the overall electricity rate in the province dropped by PHP2.3860 per kilowatt to PHP15.5106 in November from PHP17.8966 in October following a collaboration between the cooperative and the provincial government to lower electricity rates here.

“For a household consuming 100 kWh for example, the reduction is equivalent to a decrease of more than PHP200 in their total electricity bill,” INEC spokesperson Noel Andres said on Wednesday.

He said the November rate went down due to the PHP1.9731 per kWh drop in generation charge as well as a cut of PHP0.2576 in system loss charge brought by technical and non-technical system losses.

The value-added tax that INEC collects from member-consumer-owners and remits to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and franchise tax to the local government units and the provincial government also slipped by PHP0.2145 to PHP1.5950 per kWh this November from PHP1.8095 per kWh last month.

Other collections which included lifeline rate subsidy, senior citizen subsidy, and missionary electrification, as well as the National Power Corporation’s stranded debt and FIT-All were also reduced by PHP0.0034 per kWh this billing period.

Over the past few months, many households and owners of resorts, restaurants, and other commercial establishments in the province have been taking to social media and to the streets to express discontent over what they said was most expensive electricity rate in the country despite Ilocos Norte being known as the renewable energy capital of the Philippines.

In response, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc reassured his constituents that he will exhaust all means to ease the burden of consumers.

Some consumers here have been delighted the power rate reduction.

“INEC surprised me again. It’s a good surprise this time because our electric bill was reduced by PHP2,000 as compared to last month,” Karen Lucas of Barangay 5 said.

She said the power rate reduction is a “good news” considering the high cost of basic commodities and fuel.

To date, the INEC is buying its supply from Masinloc Power Partner Co. Ltd, Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, and its mini-hydropower plant in Pagudpud town. (PNA)