MORE Power posts lowest rate in WV despite July hike

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) retained the lowest residential electricity rate among all power distributors and electric cooperatives in Western Visayas in July, despite a slight uptick in its overall charge.

Based on regional data, MORE Power charged consumers PHP 10.61 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in July 2025 — the most affordable rate among eight utilities in Region 6. This comes after a marginal increase of PHP 0.09 from its June rate of PHP 10.5249 per kWh.

The Iloilo City-based utility attributed the rise to higher transmission charges brought about by increased ancillary service costs in the energy Reserve Market — a national-scale adjustment affecting all power distributors.

“This is an industry-wide factor beyond our control,” the company said in a statement.

Despite the transmission-related hike, MORE Power noted a decrease in its generation charges, thanks to strategic sourcing from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). The savings helped cushion the net increase for consumers.

“At MORE Power, we remain committed to delivering more reliable, stable, and responsive service — ensuring that every peso you spend brings greater value to your home and daily life,” the utility added.

Across Western Visayas, GUIMELCO posted the highest residential rate in July at PHP 12.64 per kWh, followed by AKELCO at PHP 12.36 and ANTECO at PHP 12.14. Other distributors such as ILECO 1 (PHP 12.05), ILECO 2 (PHP 11.61), ILECO 3 (PHP 11.80), and CAPELCO (PHP 12.10) all recorded higher rates than MORE Power.

MORE Power’s adjustment came alongside a more significant rate hike from the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the country’s largest utility. Meralco raised its residential rate by PHP 0.4883 per kWh in July, bringing its overall rate to PHP 12.6435 from PHP 12.1552 in June.

According to Meralco, the increase was driven by a higher generation charge — up by PHP 0.3407 per kWh — due to costlier Power Supply Agreements and Independent Power Producers. The price surge was tied to rising global fuel costs and the peso’s depreciation to its weakest level since March.

Heightened geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran also contributed to fuel price volatility, Meralco said.

A slight drop in WESM charges, attributed to lower grid demand and fewer plant outages in Luzon, helped offset some of the increase.