MANILA -- The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Friday confirmed that Meralco is implementing a refund of 4 to 5 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in the March billing of customers.

This is to return the unverified increase in charges coming from natural gas bought by a Meralco supplier.

Dimalanta said the increase in the price of imported natural gas, which is around 30 to 35 centavos per kWh and was also passed on to Meralco consumers this February billing, will not be included in the refund.

Meralco to raise power rates in February

Meralco has filed a petition to ask the commission if it also needs to refund this amount but Dimalanta said this will still need to undergo a hearing.

She said it's likely that a decision may be reached by April.

Enough power supply for the summer: DOE

The Department of Energy (DOE) assured consumers on Thursday that the power supply will be enough for the entire summer season with no yellow or red alerts noted, based on various simulations done by the department.

But despite the assurance, energy officials still call on consumers to use electricity efficiently and make this as a way of life.

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"If they go beyond their consumption, of course, we will have a problem and that's why we're saying let's maintain our conservation such as that we will have no loss of energy," said DOE Usec.Rowena Cristina Guevarra.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla also urged government agencies to practice energy efficiency as well as wise water use practices.

"Yung gobyerno mismo ang magiging modelo para sa energy efficiency and conservation kaya inuna natin ang gobyerno para naman makita ng pribadong sektor at mga consumers na ginagawa natin ang lahat para ang consumption ng gobyerno ay mapababa." said Lotilla.

The DOE and the Department of Energy and Natural Resources have signed a memorandum of understanding on offshore wind projects which is part of the country's energy transition.

A presentation from a DOE official indicated that the Philippines envisions a 35 percent renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030 from the current 22 percent. They hope to make this 50 percent by 2040 and more than 50 percent by the year 2050.

Lotilla said that while the country shifts into more renewable energy, other forms of energy will also be explored.

Nuclear energy, for example, will be explored, through small modular reactors.

Officials said there will be around 1,200 MW of nuclear power by 2032; 2,400 MW by 2035; and 4,800 by 2050.