Meralco Bill Too High 2026: Save on Summer Power

Meralco rates went up again. March 2026: P0.6427 per kWh increase, bringing the total to P13.8161/kWh from P13.1734 in February. For a typical 200kWh household, that's an extra P129 per month, total bill around P2,763.

Dry season means aircon cravings and bills that can double if you're not careful. Meralco has warned that fuel costs may rise further in April due to Middle East tensions.

Where the increase comes from

It's not distribution charges (those have been steady since 2022).

• Transmission up P0.2880/kWh. NGCP ancillary services from the reserve market jumped 70%. That's almost half of their total fees now.
• Generation rose P0.2209/kWh to P7.8607. Fixed PPA costs from First Gas-Sta. Rita added P0.38/kWh, even though WESM actually dropped by P1.0952.
• Other fees up P0.1338/kWh, including a new P0.01 lifeline subsidy from ERC.

Sample bills for March 2026:

| Consumption | Feb 2026 Bill | Mar 2026 Bill | Increase | |-------------|---------------|---------------|----------| | 200 kWh | P2,635 | P2,763 | P129 | | 300 kWh | P3,952 | P4,145 | P193 | | 500 kWh | P6,587 | P6,908 | P321 |

500kWh is common for families running two ACs during summer nights.

For low-income households consuming 50kWh or less (especially 4Ps beneficiaries), there's a 100% lifeline discount. That's about P691 in savings, effectively a zero bill.

Aircon is the biggest driver

March to May, electricity demand surges. DOE Secretary Sharon Garin has warned rates could rise another 16% due to Middle East issues.

Aircon eats 30-50% of your bill. Setting it to 18°C or leaving it running in an empty room can add P200+ to your monthly cost. Higher usage also pushes you into more expensive rate tiers (above 300kWh, the per-kWh cost goes up).

How to cut your bill

Based on Meralco's own conservation guidelines, you can realistically slash 20-50% from your summer bill.

Set AC to 24-26°C and use fans. Every degree higher saves 5-10%, roughly P50-100/month. Turn it off when you leave the room, even for an hour, that's P20 saved. Inverter ACs with timers give another 3-5% efficiency.

Switch to LEDs. A 10W LED versus a 60W old bulb saves P200-300/month at 5 hours daily use. A 5-star rated refrigerator cuts consumption by 20%.

Use power strips to unplug idle appliances. TVs, chargers, and other "vampire" devices on standby cost P100-200/month.

Do laundry in full loads with cold water. Air dry when possible. Unplug the rice cooker after use. Saves about P50-100/month.

Download the myMeralco app. It shows real-time usage and alerts when you're approaching thresholds. There's also a prepaid option.

If you can get your consumption below 150kWh, that's about P550 in monthly savings versus 200kWh.

Common wastes

Running AC in an empty room or setting it to sauna-cold levels — that's P200+ wasted. Use a sleeping mat when you can.

Don't overload extension cords. 57% of your bill is generation cost, not distribution.

If you qualify for the lifeline discount and haven't applied, you're leaving P600+ per year on the table.

Lifeline discount

If your monthly consumption is under 50kWh, apply at erc.gov.ph. Submit your ID and barangay certificate through the Meralco app or at a branch. Full P691 savings for 50kWh consumption.

Longer term

Solar lanterns start at P500. The NGCP reserve costs affecting everyone's bills aren't going away soon. More fuel hikes are expected in April.

Last summer we brought our household bill from P4k down to P2.5k by following these steps.

Tonight: unplug 5 idle gadgets, set AC to 25°C, download myMeralco. Target a P2,500 bill this month.