MORE Power Ready to Comply with Proposed Ban on Electricity System Loss Charges

ILOILO CITY — Distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) has announced it will fully comply if the government mandates the removal of system loss charges from electricity bills. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently called for amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to prevent power utilities from passing these losses on to consumers, alongside removing the 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT) applied to them.

Currently, MORE Power collects around ₱21 million to ₱23 million monthly to cover allowable power losses. However, company executives emphasized that the distribution utility does not profit from these charges. Niel Parcon, Vice President for Corporate Energy Sourcing and Regulatory Affairs, explained that the utility operates strictly within the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) framework and welcomes regulatory audits.

MORE Power boasts a system loss rate of 4.23%, well below the government regulatory cap of 5.5% and among the top three lowest in the Philippines. While non-technical losses like power theft can be mitigated, technical losses—which account for 4% of MORE Power’s total losses—stem from the laws of physics as energy passes through transformers and lines. Parent company Primelectric Holdings Inc. noted that the utility will await final guidelines from the Department of Energy (DOE) and ERC while maintaining its priority on reliable, cost-effective service.