ERC: No green power fees until December

MANILA, Philippines — Consumers will continue to see zero green energy auction allowance (GEA-All) charges on their power bills for the rest of the year following the four-month extension of the collection suspension.

In an advisory on Wednesday, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said the GEA-All rate of P0.0371 per kilowatt-hour would not be billed to consumers until December.

“This measure is being implemented to provide relief to Filipino households facing rising inflation and costs of living brought about by external global pressures,” the ERC said.

GEA-All, a uniform charge collected from consumers to support the development of renewable energy projects nationwide, has been suspended since May as the country grapples with an energy emergency.

The ERC further extended the suspension after determining that the GEA-All fund remained healthy, with a balance of around P556.9 million as of Aug. 5.

While the GEA-All collection remains suspended, consumers continue to pay a higher feed-in tariff allowance, another green energy charge included in their power bills.