DAVAO CITY — An official of the Davao Light and Power Co. said on Wednesday that they have contingency plans put in place, like balancing the use of renewable and non-renewable energy, as dry spells associated with El Niño loom until next year.
“We are hoping that we will never reach the time when we will have to do rotational brownouts,” said Fermin Edillon, head of the Davao Light Reputation Enhancement Department, at a yearend media briefing.
Mr. Edillon said they cannot totally rely on renewable energy alone because if there is an El Niño, their suppliers who are using hydropower will also be affected. The Department of Science and Technology forecasts potential dry spells and drought in April or May next year due to El Niño.
Meanwhile, Davao Light has lowered its power rate from P9.12 to P8.74 per kilowatt-hour in December, down from November.
Mr. Edillon attributed the decrease to reductions in power supply pricing from the Philippine Wholesale Energy Spot Market and the global market.
For households with an average monthly electricity consumption of 200 kWh, a reduction of P76.34 will be experienced. The lowered rate applies to bills received from Dec. 12, 2023 to Jan. 10, 2024.
Despite the decrease, customers are urged to monitor energy usage, emphasizing the fluctuating nature of rates. — Maya M. Padillo