A group of electric cooperatives claimed that Solar Para sa Bayan Corp. (SPSB) levied a 125-percent surge in electricity rates to its customers in Paluan town, Occidental Mindoro province, contrary to its promise of cheap electricity to the public. In a statement on Wednesday, the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (Philreca) said consumers in the municipality were charged P1,638 for a consumption of 91 kilowatts per hour (kWh). The amount was a 125-percent increase from the original P8 per kWh, it added. The group said the increase was without due process and approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission. According to Section 6 of Republic Act 11357, the franchise holder shall charge reasonable power rates as approved by the ERC for its services to all consumers. SPSB founder Leandro Leviste is yet to comment at press time. Philreca vows to reach out to government regulators to intervene in this case.
