Beneco power rates decrease in March

BAGUIO CITY -- Power rates being charged by the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) from its member-consumer-owners (MCOs) went down by P0.2153 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) March.
    Beneco data bared decrease in power rates was due to lower generation and transmission charges.
    From the February generation charge of P5.7300/kWh, the March generation charge dropped to P5.7295/kWh.
    Beneco's transmission charge of P0.7670/kWh last month also dropped to P0.7630/kWh, or a reduction of P0.0040/kWh during the present billing period.
    On the other hand, the prevailing commercial low voltage rate of P9.3699/kWh is lower by P0.2109/kWh compared to a similar rate in February which was P9.5808/kWh.
    The industrial rate in March was at P9.3386/kWh compared to the February rate pegged at P9.5495/kWh.
    For the public building low voltage rate, the same dropped by P0.2109/kWh or from P9.5531/kWh in February to P9.3422/kWh during the present billing period.
    The rate for streetlights also realized a decrease of P0.2109/kWh from the February rate of P9.5808/kWh compared to the P9.3699/kWh in March.
    Beneco's commercial high voltage rate decreased by P0.2163/kWh from the February rate of P8.1180/kWh compared to the P7.9017/kWh March.
    Moreover, the public building's voltage rate of P7.8739/kWh in March was lower by P0.2163/kWh compared to the February rate of P8.0902/kWh.
    Beneco's power rates had been on a downward trend since the start of the year.
    Beneco continues to strive to regain its status as a Class AAA electric cooperative after it was downgraded to class C because of the previous leadership impasse that ruined its gains in the past 3 decades.
    Despite being a Class C electric cooperative, Beneco is able to maintain its cheap and competitive power rates compared to the power rates of similar cooperatives and private distribution utilities with a much wider area of coverage and a much bigger number of consumers.
    Beneco has a 50-year franchise covering the power distribution in the Baguio and Benguet areas where the same is expected to expire by 2028.