Consumers in the South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative’s (Socoteco I) service area are seeing a significant cut in electricity bills, with residential rates dropping from ₱16 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2023 to ₱11.30 this year. This was announced by General Manager Engr. Rafee Edsel B. Epistola at the 3rd Power Summit in Koronadal City.
“This reduction means direct savings for more than 50 percent of our consumers who are in the residential category,” Epistola noted, adding that the cooperative is pursuing measures to ensure its member-consumers continue to benefit from reliable service and reasonably priced electricity.
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Reducing costs
According to Epistola, rising global fuel costs, driven by Indonesia’s coal export restrictions and the Ukraine-Russia war, once pushed Socoteco I’s generation charges to ₱9.71/kWh in 2023. But through talks with the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation and improved energy trading, the cooperative secured 9 megawatts (MW) of firm capacity, cutting costs to ₱5.49.
“Dahil dito, nabawasan ang ating singil at napapakinabangan na ngayon ng ating mga konsyumer ang mas mababang rate,” Epistola said. (This development allowed the cooperative to lower its charges, giving consumers the advantage of more affordable electricity rates.)
Additionally, Epistola shared that the cooperative switched on its 30 megavolt-ampere (MVA) San Isidro substation in April to address Koronadal City’s growing energy needs. The facility is expected to bolster incoming businesses and industries, paving the way for job creation and stronger local economic activity.
The cooperative is also set to double the capacity of its Norala substation from 5 MVA to 10 MVA, with completion eyed by late 2025, a move aimed at boosting power stability in the upper valley.
Other improvements include the opening of an Area I office to streamline billing and customer services. A drive-thru payment facility—the first of its kind in Mindanao—is also in the pipeline, alongside the launch of an online portal that lets member-consumers track bills, usage, and account details digitally.
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Commitment to better service
Underscoring the cooperative’s mission, Epistola said efforts remain focused on keeping electricity affordable, strengthening supply reliability, and upgrading services to guarantee that households and businesses under its franchise enjoy transparent and sustainable energy management.
In 2023, Socoteco I drew heavy criticism from member-consumers in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao del Sur, who decried recurring power outages during the intense dry-season heat.
Back then, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. proposed a provincial takeover of the cooperative following public outrage over persistent outages, poor service, and high power rates.
Socoteco I supplies electricity to more than 108,000 member-consumers across Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tantangan, Banga, Norala, Sto. Niño, Surallah, Lake Sebu, and Tboli in South Cotabato’s 2nd District, as well as Lutayan in Sultan Kudarat.
Sources:
https://pia.gov.ph/lower-electricity-rates-now-benefitting-consumers-in-south-cotabato/
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/mindanao/south-cotabato-government-wants-takeover-electricity-utility-frequent-blackouts/
