BAGUIO CITY — Residents of Baguio City and Benguet will pay higher electricity bills this month after the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) announced a P0.6450-per-kilowatt-hour increase in power rates for the July 2026 billing cycle.

The adjustment raises the residential electricity rate to P12.2900 per kilowatt-hour.

Beneco said the increase was primarily driven by higher prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, which supplied about 52 percent of the cooperative’s power requirements during the billing period. The higher generation cost pushed up overall electricity rates.

Despite the increase, cooperative officials appealed for consumers’ understanding, noting that Beneco’s rates remain competitive with those of other distribution utilities nationwide.

The cooperative expects power prices to stabilize in the coming months as it strengthens its power supply portfolio and reduces its dependence on the volatile spot market.

Beneco also noted that its distribution, supply, metering and capital expenditure charges have remained unchanged since 2009. These charges account for only 10 to 14 percent of a customer’s total electricity bill, while the rest consists of pass-through charges for power generation, transmission, taxes, and subsidies.

To help offset the impact of higher electricity costs, Beneco urged consumers to conserve energy by switching off unused appliances, maximizing natural lighting and ventilation and using energy-efficient appliances whenever possible.