By Juzel L. Danganan
MANILA, Feb. 15 (PNA) — The Electricity Market Operator, Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) is ready to lower the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) cap to 750-kilowatts (kW) from 1-Megawatt (MW) said PEMC President Melinda Ocampo.
”We are preparing, but the declaration will come from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) not us… Preparatory for the 750-kW, so in case ERC says tomorrow, we are ready,” Ocampo said.
Currently, establishments or companies are only eligible to be contestable customers if they have a consumption of 1-MW.
Through the RCOA — the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) — orders the 1-MW consumption eligibility will be lowered to 750-kW, after the two-year implementation of the 1-MW cap that was started by the Department of Energy (DOE) on June 2013.
It gives contestable customers several options on how to obtain their electricity – not just through the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
Aside from staying a customer of Meralco, contestable customers could also source from generation companies, suppliers or direct purchase from the electricity market, Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
The RCOA will eventually be lowered to the household levels of 500-kW then 250-kW, fully eliminating the captive customers, whom can only be currently dependent on distribution utilities such as Meralco for their power.
Thus, in the future, everyone will have a choice on where and how to source their electricity. (PNA)