THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) said it can assess the potential impact of not requiring distribution utilities (DUs) to gather bill deposits from consumers applying for brand spanking new or additional electricity service.
At an open commission meeting on Thursday, ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Francis Saturnino C. Juan said the agency will gather data after receiving comments from stakeholders on the proposal.
He noted that some stakeholders had urged the ERC to fastidiously review the plan to limit the gathering of bill deposits.
The initiative forms a part of a proposed resolution adopting the Magna Carta for Electricity Consumers, which covers DUs’ collection of bill deposits — an amount paid by customers to power distributors as a guarantee for the payment of electricity bills.
Under the draft, the ERC plans to amend the definition of a bill deposit in order that it could “appear to not be a compulsory requirement anymore for connection for an application, for a brand new application,” Mr. Juan said.
“It’s the DU’s prerogative. They might require (payment of bill deposit). Unlike within the previous provision that it could seem it’s mandatory for DUs to gather these bill deposits,” he said.
The ERC can also be proposing that customers in good standing for 2 consecutive years may qualify for an automatic refund of their bill deposits.
Mr. Juan said the agency will collect data to find out whether easing the requirement for bill deposits would have any impact on electricity rates.
“It will help us determine what the right decision ought to be once our data is complete, including whether there will probably be any rate impact,” he said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera