A call to consumers:

Use electricity efficiently and wisely to save on hard-earned money

This summer, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) urges all consumers to practice energy conservation while beating up the heat.

Consumption level of customers usually peak during the hot months due to the intensive use of air-conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, electric fans. Aside from this, it is also a vacation time for schoolchildren, thus, entertainment appliances like television sets and computer usage goes up.

The DTI also warned consumers to expect higher power bill after power retailer Manila Electric Company or Meralco announced a hike in the rates last March after their generation charge surged by almost P0.20 per kilowatt-hour because of a spike in the average price on the wholesale electricity spot market in February.

Meralco said its March generation charge jumped to P4.3998 per kWh, up P0.1939 from P4.1946 per kWh in February. Customers consuming 50 kWh will therefore see their March electricity bills up by P10, those using 70 kWh by P17, and those consuming 100 kWh by P28.

DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Welfare Zenaida Maglaya remarked that it is during times like this that even little things we do matter. According to her, “there are a number of ways by which consumers can cut back on electricity consumption and, ultimately, earn savings to spend on much important need such as food.”