202P.O. Box 1161, QCCPO, NCR, Philippines 1100
Cell No. : +63 917-812-5546
Email : labankonsyumer@gmail.com
: dimagibavic@gmail.com
: dmagiba@pldtdsl.net
Facebook: Laban Konsyumer Inc.
Website : www.labankonsyumer.com
LKI PRESS STATEMENT
2020-067
LABAN KONSYUMER INTERVENED AGAINST AN INCREASE IN UNIVERSAL CHARGES FOR MISSSIONARY ELECTRIFICATION IN AN ERC VIRTUAL HEARING
Consumer Group Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI), recently joined a virtual hearing with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and manifested their concerns, saying “That the Commission should evaluate the above Petition of the National Power Corporation thoroughly and with impartiality , and after due hearing , Dismiss the Petition, stop and abandon the collection of UCME, as without merit and basis.”
During the virtual hearing, where ERC accepted the intervention of LKI President Atty. Vic Dimagiba , Dimagiba voiced out the failure of the Petitioner to disclose and inform consumers on why NPC is seeking an increase in UCME rate to continue funding their operational expenses of the missionary electrification areas of the country.
Dimagiba asked clarificatory questions to NPC on their year to date achievement in the electrification of barangays across the country that are on off grid areas. With hesitation, NPC declared that using 2015 data of 1.5 million households without electricity, only about 24 % are without electricity.
Dimagiba believes that it is important that the Commission look into the petition of NPC’s in a more concrete way to reduce the UC-ME and for NPC to be required to consider the cheaper fuel cost in its estimates. The current UC-ME was set in 2015, when fuel prices were much higher than today. Thus, costs incurred have already been recovered under the existing rate.
Dimagiba explained that “The Missionary Electrification component of the Universal Charge is collected from end users in the main grid to subsidize electricity in areas not connected to the transmission system. Since 2003, the UCME has increased by around 318%, from Php 0.0373 per kWh to Php 0.1561 per kWh, and the latter set in 2015.” NPC petitions to increase the UCME to Php 0.2055 pkwh.
Dimagiba pointed out that “The total payments to NPC cover cost of electricity from oil fired plants in those areas, which account for about 94% of installed capacity (DOE list of existing power plants as of December 31, 2019). World oil crude prices have actually gone down since 2015 by about 23 % from an average of US $ 52 for Brent crude to US $ 40 as of July 2020 (US Energy Information Administration)”
Dimagiba provided the following table to demonstrate:
$/Bbl. Brent Spot
2015 52.32
2016 43.64
2017 54.13
2018 71.34
2019 64.30
as of Jul 2020 40.37
Dimagiba highlighted “For Dubai crude, in 2015 average amount is US $ 50.94 and US$ 41.21 in July 2020, or a reduction of 19.1 % from 2015 (Opec.org). On the other hand, the Peso to US Dollar had depreciated by an average of 10.7% for the same period of 2015 to 2020 (bsp.gov.ph).”
Dimagiba expounded “Since fuel prices declined faster than the Peso depreciation, NPC fuel prices should still be almost 10% lower this 2021 versus in 2015. Thus, NPC is collecting ME in excess of the least cost, and upon computation, the Commission should order a refund of over recovery of UCME.”
Dimagiba concluded, “WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, WE PRAY THAT THE COMMISSION ACCEPTS OUR PETITION FOR INTERVENTION WITH PRE-TRIAL BRIEF, REFUND THE OVERRECOVERY OF UCME COLLECTED FROM ALL CONSUMERS AND DISMISS, and STOP AND ABANDON THE COLLECTION OF THE UCME AS WITHOUT MERIT AND BASIS.”