Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) wants a San Miguel Corp. unit to pay for higher costs incurred from the termination of a 670-megawatt (MW) power supply deal.South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC) was asked on Monday to pay the difference between the contract price and rates at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), from which Meralco has been sourcing power since supply was cut last Dec. 7. '[T]he claims... will be on top of all applicable fines, penalties, and liquidated damages under the PSA (power supply agreement) in the event that the Court of Appeals (CA) eventually resolves the main case and denies the petition of SPPC,' Meralco said. SPPC and Meralco earlier this year filed a joint petition asking for a temporary rate hike, citing the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war. The Energy Regulatory Commission rejected the petition, saying that prices were fixed under the 670-MW deal. San Miguel appealed the ruling and won a stay order from the Court of Appeals, which also suspended the PSA. This subsequently raised fears that Meralco would have to pass on higher supply costs to consumers. Meralco, however, reiterated that it was exhausting all efforts 'to protect customers from potentially higher generation costs while ensuring continuity of stable, reliable, and least cost power under the current circumstances.'