Utilities & Mobile Electricity costs comparison

ON June 11, 2015, the Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Carlos Jericho L. Petilla issued Circular No. DC 2015-06-008, “Mandating all Distribution Utilities to Undergo Competitive Selection Process in Securing Power Supply Agreements.” Petilla resigned two weeks later, but I hope his circular will be implemented.

The laudable aims of the circular are to protect the public interest by increasing transparency in the power supply procurement process, and promoting and instilling competition between suppliers so as to establish least cost outcomes.

Our electricity is expensive. An international comparison between major cities in North and Southeast Asia plus Australia and New Zealand carried out for the Energy Market Authority, Singapore in 2013 gives the following results for residential tariffs in Philippine pesos per kilowatt hour:

Sydney P13.20, Tokyo P12.54, Manila P11.55, Auckland P10.89, Singapore P9.24, Seoul P7.26, Bangkok P5.61, Jakarta P4.62, Hanoi P3.96, Shanghai P3.96, Kuala Lumpur P3.96, Taipei P3.96, and Beijing P3.30.

Most recent costs for Bacolod and Iloilo are P10.35 and P10.88 per kilowatt hour, respectively

Honeyman: Electricity costs: an international comparison | Sun.Star